JAP BATTLESHIP

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1945, Page 5

JAP BATTLESHIP

To be Hit with Atomic Bomb U.S. PLANES UNABLE TO SINK HER. (Rec. 8.10) NEW YORK, Sent. 17. A Japanese battleship the Nagato, during the war withstood an attack by 500 Amercian carrier-planes. She will now be towed 500 miles out to sea and will -there have an atomic bomb dropped on her. This is according to the United States Navy’s present plans, said a. New York “Times” correspondent at Tokio. The American Navy wishes to discover whether an atomic bomb can destroy a single ship, also what it could do to a task force, and what effect it will have or, water. Reports from Hiroshima and Nagasaki on which atomic bombs were dropped, indicate that the forces of the explosions there was upwards anti not downwards. The American Navy considers that the most dangerous effect could be that under water, where the sea pressure magnifies greatly the effects of a torpedo or a mine. The Navy is inviting representatives of the Press to view its experiment. The Nagato was directly hit three times on July IS by planes, but the 14-inch armour of her turrets withstood the attacks. The damage done was only superficial though widespread.