Washington, Aug. 6.
An increase in the number of aer planes to be stationed in the Hawaiian was announced here to-day to be the next step in the Navy De-artment's yians for consolidating an "aerial bridge" between Hawaii and the mainland.
Sixty huge aeroplanes, virtual fying} fortresses, are now under construction. and from this group possibly one half will be ordered for service in the Pacific. The new ships, while called replacements, are actually reinforcements because of their increase in size, speed and general utility over the older models.
The new fighting "planes will have a cruising range of 2,500 miles, enabling them actively to patrol from Hawaii to Wake Island to the Aleutians. The first line of defence reaching from Wake to Hawaii to Panama will thereby be greatly strengthened.
There is little likelihood that the new Hawaiian reinforcements will be sent from the United States in a mass Aight, Admire! William Harrison Standley, Chief of Naval operations and Acting Secretary of the Navy told reporters to-day. He suggested' that the crossing would probably be made in groups of two or three, but did not mention the date of the' frst take-off—United Press.
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