The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, June 5, 1942. TASMAN SEA WARFARE.

Grey River Argus, 5 June 1942, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, June 5, 1942. TASMAN SEA WARFARE.

- Japan’s stabs in various directions with her. naval and air forces add more excitement, rather than more anxiety, to the aspect of war operations in the Pacific Ocean. The Australian coasts arc not the only ones receiving- jsuch attention, as the enemy has taken an opportunity to launch two bombing raids on one of the northernhiost navial bases of the United States, that of Dutch Harbour, off the Alaskan mainland. The significance attached to these raids in Ameri-

ca is much less the damage so far caused which is not reported ito be great, than the indication they give of an intention to extend the bombing southwards on a large scale against the ports along the Pacific Slope. It is natural that this should be apprehended, because the enemy must make the most of such time as remains to him until United States naval and air reinforcements are increased through the tremendous production . drive now well launched throughout the country. As a matter of .fact, except for operations in China, designed to protect Japan itself against an attack from Chinese bases, the Japanese Army is n'owisc active at present. Possibly forces are ’being {disposed for attacks against India and Australia, but on the Australian Front chief interest has now passed from the north to the eastern coast, on which large Japanese su'bm.ariiies have begun operations against shipping. Though details are officially withheld, one vessel proves to have been sunk near Sydney, a large submarine beings'.'seen by her crew, all but three of whom were saved. Two other vessels attacked have escaped, and so far honours are in the Allies’ favour, because it transpires that four enemy submarines in all have been accounted for, all of which tried on Sunday night to enter Sydney Harbour. After his earlier appeals for air support to the United States, the Australian Prime Minister’s statements' on the situation at present arc the more' significant in' Hint they sound a note of steadily growing confidence. He is doubtless aware that the enemy is, striving yet harder in his preparations to attack Australia, and the fact that he defies the enemy to effect any large landing of troops shows that Australia to-day to be well defended indeed. The alacrity and success with which Sydney harbour has been defended speaks [volumes. It may be contrasted quite favourably with the way lin which the Americans have met | enemy aggression, <• although.' Sydney naturally is one of the points at which there Avould bo nothing left to chance in the matter of defence. So far things have gone most favourablj r for the defenders of Australia and

New Zealand, but there is still

greater need for vigilance, because the Japanese are now determined to make a greater attack, and their operations all point in that direction. It may reasonably be hoped, from the results up till the present, that they will be successfully countered, and that later they will be forced to take up the defensive.