NAVAL PLANS OF NETHERLANDS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22983, 1 April 1940, Page 7

NAVAL PLANS OF NETHERLANDS

Three 27,000-Ton Warships BATAVIA, March 30. The Netherlands East Indies Government introduced a bill in the People's Council providing lor the construction of three 87,000-ton battle cruisers, one tanker, 12 submarine chasers, two minelayers, a dry dock lor the handling of 40,000-ton ships, and the . improvement of the Sourabaya naval base. The bill also provides, for the purchase of 12 large flying-boats and the large-scale production of mines and * depth-charges. The total cost will be about £38,000,000. The cost of extending and reinforcing the Sourabaya base will be £5,500,000. The first battle cruiser will be commissioned in May, 1944. The Government issued a statement in which it said: “The general political situation in Europe and East Asia necessitates an increase in naval defences in the Netherlands East Indies, and the building up of a navy which- demands respect for Holland’s neutrality and to maintain Holland’s rights in the Far Bast by force jf necessary.” The bill will be submitted later to the Netherlands Parliament.