SECRET BUILDING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 98, 6 February 1936, Page 5

SECRET BUILDING

SEVERAL WARSHIPS IN JAPAN.

WORLD’S LARGEST BATTLESHIP. QUESTION OF FINANCE RAISED. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.in;) LONDON, February 5. A correspondent of the ‘Sun-Her-ald” Service says that while the Naval Conference is progressing coward a Four-Power agreement with escape clauses in the event of Japan’s nonparticipation, a report has been published in London that the Japanese are preparing plans for surprise navy construction, which will commence on the termination of the ' Washington Treaty. British official quarters informed the correspondent that they will +hink that when the four-Power agreement is concluded Japan 'will at least adhere to part of it. The belief persists tint her finances will prevent Japan uw lev taking a gigantic building programme.

However, the “Daily Express” declares that at the end of the year Japan was secretly laying down the world’s biggest battleship, of 45,000 tons.

In addition, the programme includes fast pocket battle-cruisers of 15,000 tons, powerful flotilla leaders of 2400 tons, destroyers and submarine cruisers of 3000 tons.

The “Express” says that this information was received by a European country from its nava) attache at lokio that Japan is determined to preserve complete freedom in naval construction and will build ships and thereby upsetting the programmes of the Powers represented at the Conference.