AGAINST JAPAN

Southland Times, Issue 19389, 1 November 1924, Page 5

AGAINST JAPAN

AMERICAN NAVAL MANOEUVRES. TO BE HELD IN HAWAII GRAVE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EVENT. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). LONDON, October 31. (Received October 31, 8 p.m.) The Naval correspondent of the Daily News draws attention to the fact that the United States is arranging for six weeks’ manoeuvres early in 1925, based on Hawaii, which would be the best naval headquarters in the event of war with an Asiatic Power. The correspondent says that the newspapers in Japan are displaying very keen interest in the matter. Admiral Eberle says: “The next manoeuvres will be to assemble the combined fleet at Honolulu and investigate the fleet anchorage facilities off the islands. It is a question whether we have sufficient fuel to hold the manoeuvres at Honolulu, which is the point to which the programme aims at reaching. America reckons on defeating Japan in a naval battle off Honolulu, afterwards pursuing the Fleet westwards as far as the Midway Islands, 3,100 miles distant from San Francisco, and then continuing operations in Australian waters thus assuming that the Fleet would junction with the Australian Fleet. The manoeuvres will include the replenishing of fuel at sea. This is considered xAmerica’s weak point.” An American despatch says that it is intended to promote “Anti-Japanism” in Australia and New Zealand, with the object of showing America’s strength compared with that of Japan.