NAVAL RIVALRY

Grey River Argus, 14 December 1937, Page 5

NAVAL RIVALRY

IN THE PACIFIC. LONDON, December 13. Hector Bywater, the “Telegraph’s” naval correspondent, reveals that without previous announcement the United States established a naval air base at Sitka Harbour, Alaska, with hangars? and workshops. Already, up to 12 twin-engined bombers have arrived, and others are following shortly. Dutch Harbour is already being used as a subsidiary naval and air base, and plans are being made to establish larger bases in the Aleutians, the intention being to construct one or more “strategic bridge's” across the Pacific, enabling the United States to concentrate powerful naval and air forces in the Far East should it become expedient to do so. The plan promises to challenge the strategic supremacy that Japan has hitherto exercised in the Western Pacific. FRENCH EXPENDITURE. LONDON, December 10. The Paris correspondent of the “Dailj' Telegraph” says that after a debate in which nearly all members urged that the Government’s preparations were inadequate for the country's needs, the Chamber of Deputies passed the naval estimates, amounting to £30,000,000. PARIS, December 11. M. Pierre Cot, replying to an allegation that foreign planes were faster than the French, said that French bombers and pursuit planes had attained a speed of 300 miles an hour, which was faster’ than the British or the German proto-types.