NAVAL BATTLE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 263, 8 October 1941, Page 7

NAVAL BATTLE

AIR OF MYSTERY LONDON" NOT INFOEMED. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 7. Authoritative circles in London have no knowledge concerning- the report from New York regarding a naval battle off Brazil. A New York message say 6 that residents of the Brazilian town of-Maccio, southward of the position where the mysterious sea battle is supposed to have happened, declare that bodies have been washed ashore. Their statements so far have not been verified. The United States Navy Department remains silent, but the opinion is hazarded that an American warship was involved.

In a message from Rio de Janeiro the Associated Press correspondent says the survivors of the tanker I; C White said they were torpedoed without warning at night in tr.e South Atlantic by an unidentified submarine, which shelled the ship while it was sinking.

A message from Rio de Janeiro published on Monday stated that a moonlight sea battle, in which an unidentified ship was reported to have been sunk and another steamed off undei cover of a smoke-screen, had been described by travellers returning from Maragogy, between Pernambuco and Maceio. The engagement occurred last Friday in full view of the Brazilian coast' in the same general area where United States planes and warships bad been searching for the raider which sankT the "tanker I. C. White. The combat was said to have lasted 30 minutes, in which the gunfire shook the houses ashore. Then the ship nearest the shore sank and its opponent sped off behind a smoke-screen.