Evening star., 1942-01-30
Dutch Maintaining
5hip.a.Day Record
On 54th Day Of War
Indies Forces Reported
Butt|ing Invaders at
a Points in Islands
Py TIE Associated Press.

| Ry ire Associated PrcSs
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies,
Jan. 80. Fifty-four japanese
ships have been sunk or heavily
damaged in the 81 days of the
Pacific war by the Netherlands
Indies Navy and Air Force, it
was announced today as Dutch
Regular Army units and guer-
rilla detachments battled the
invaders in four widely-separat-
ed parts of the islands.
The staggering total Of losses in
flicted on Japanese shipping by the
Dutch alone was announced in an
authoritative summary made avail
able to the official news agency
Aneta.
This one-a-day Dutch average of
course does not include the losses
| inflicted on the Japanese by Ameri-
can, British and Australian action
which were considerable in them
selves.
The Dutch list of sunk or dam
aged Japanese ships follows, One
battleship, 10 cruisers, IS trans
ports, four of these being troop
ships, and a fifth passenger liner
used as transport; seven destroy
ers, one seaplane tender, three tank
ers, one lighter, one cargo ship, five
other vessels.
Informed sources said the jap
anese could not stand such losses in
the long run, but they apparently
were willing to accept even greater
casualties in their effort to con-
sondate strategic positions in the
Indies and knock out Singapore be-
fore substantial Allied reinforce
ments arrive.
Fight in and Near Balik Papan.
The high command communique,
released through Aneta, told of con-
tinued fighting both in and near
Balik Papan, Borneo east coast oil
center, whose vast oil stores and in
stallations were destroyed before the
japanese landed there.
Fighting continues not only near
Balik Papan, but in the town itself" I"
said the communique. Bands Of
Indies guerrilla campaigners were
said to be marrying the japanese
forces which occupied the Minahassa
Peninsula, northeastern arm Of
Celebes.
Unofficial word was received that
the Dutch defenders were putting
up a bitter struggle against the sea-
borne and overland Japanese drive
on Pontianak, chief port on the
west coast OF Borneo with a nor
NAL population of $4,000. Fighting
also was assumed to be continuing
in the Kendari region in Southeast
ern Celebes.
Japanese planes shot down pas
senger plane of the Royal Neither
lands Indies airline today, killing
two passengers and three members
of the crew, the news agency Aneta
announced.
Japanese Flyers Active Again.
Today's communique reported
further intensive Japanese aerial
reconnaissance over the islands.
Here and there bombs were dropped
which caused slight damage to ma
terial but no persons were killed."
said the high command.
There was no new word concern
ing the japanese invasion armada in
Macassar Strait. which at last re-
port was said to be continuing its
thrust toward Java, nerve center
of the Indies and seat of the United
Nations supreme command in the
Southwest Pacific.
Effective defense Of Borneo, it
was generally conceded, was an al
most impossible task, since the island
is as large as England and Wales
together and is little more than one
defense jungle. However, it was felt
the defense forces at least would be
able to delay the Japanese advance