The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-09-18

stand on a selected line.
 At Ioribaiwa the Japanese were about 32 miles air line and up to 50 miles by mountain trail and road from Port Moresby, the important allied advanced base on the south New Guinea coast only 375 miles from the Australian mainland.
 As the Japanese continued their advance toward the allied main line Lieut.. Gen. Sir Sidney Rowell, com manding the Australians holding the front sent out patrols to slow the enemy by the same infiltration tac- tics which had brought the Japa- nese across the Owen Stanley noun tainS.
 It was revealed, in indication of the savagery of the fighting, that no prisoners had been reported taken since the start of the enemy drive late last month.
 Fighter Planes Busy
 In their raid on Buna, the north New Guinea base from which the enemy had set out to cross the mountains, MacArthur'S fighter planes fired about 35,000 rounds of cannon shells and machine gun bull lets at their targets. They swept at daringly low level over the beach area, blasting at barges and stores, and apparently met no enemy plane challenge.
 Heavy bombers raided enemy installations in the wharf area of Rabaul, in New Britain island northeast of Buna and caused explo- sions and fires among enemy dock and other installations in the wharf area.
 In addition they destroyed an in determinate number of grounded enemy planes.
 Thirty miles away, on their flight homeward, the allied plane crews saw fires still burning.
 A raid was made also on Gas mata, Japanese base on the south side of New Britain Island, but the results of the bombing of enemy in- stallations there could not be ob- served because of darkness.
 Gen. Macarthur reported that a single Japanese plane had made an ineffective hit and run raid on Port Moresby Thursday night. There was little damage. It was the first enemy appearance over Port Nor esby since Sept. T.
 Japs Getting Ready Washington, Sept. 18-CUP)-The Japanese were believed today to be preparing a powerful naval task force for another all-out attempt to retake the Solomon Islands from American marines.
 Naval observers made that predic- tion as the navy brought its an nouncement of enemy ships sunk or damaged within the last week to 18. The latest camIpuniQue credited American submarines with tor pedoing eight Japanese boats, sink ing four.
 Some observers placed consider able credence in Chungking re- ports that the Japanese have dis patched four battleships to augment their naval forces already in the southwest Pacific. They pointed out that the Chinese have an excellent espionage system which has accur- atciy predicted Japanese naval movements in the past.
 They also believed that the dimin- isbing of the intensity of fighting on Guadalcanal, the major base wrested by American marines from the Japanese last month, was the lull before a new storm. They based their belief partly on the fact that Japan had given clear evidence that she would make great sacrifices to recapture the Solomons and could be expected to risk capital ships in the venture if she thought there was a chance of success.
 Submarine Job
 The latest report Of submarine activity emphasized again the lili- portant job being done by those craft in the Pacific war. They have accounted for nearly ope-third Of all Japanese Ships-eombatant and ombaiant--Aunk or damaged since the var began.
 Those sea guerFlilAs haFaas the Japanese behind their own batiie- lines. operating along their extend. cd supply routes,
 The total number Of enemy Hhipa sunk in the Pacific by ail means wafhnirN, army, navy and marine rlanGa, khofe illstaisilons and subs inaflnfa-lss sunk, io3, probably aunk, 4s, damaaad i3e; total, a63,
 The figures foF submarines alone