GERMANY’S NAVY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 9

GERMANY’S NAVY

4 Big Building Programme London, April 15. “The new German Navy” is the subject of a chapter in the 1937 edition of “Brassey’s Naval Annual.” It states that the German Supreme Command has decided to build in six years five battleships, 14 cruisers, three armoured ships, two aircraft-carriers. 40 destroyers and torpedo-boats, and submarines totalling 22,000 tons. She has already built, three armoured ships —pocket battleships—two battleships have been launched, and a third has been laid down. Except in respect of submarines, the programme- observes the AngloGerman naval agreement. Thirty-six submarines, totalling 12,000 tons, have already been completed. The distribution of the remaining 10,000 tons has not yet been announced. Britain has only 54 submarines built or building. REPORTED RUSSIAN PLAN Ability to Match Japanese Navy Doubted London, April 15. Russia’s decision to build battleships, notwithstanding the London Naval Treaty, is published in London for the first time, accompanied by a. report that she will match Japan capital ship for capital ship. Official quarters informed the Australian Associated Tress agency that the latter suggestion is ridiculous. Actually Russia has agreed provisionally to subscribe to the Naval Treaty, and conversations are now proceeding favourably with Germany regarding German and Russian ratios. Russia possesses neither the shipyards nor technical skill to enable her to approach the strength of Japan’s navy. The political correspondent of the Australian Associated Press agency, reported, according to a London cable on March IS, that in the course of the bilateral discussions in London arising out of the London Naval Treaty of 1936, the Soviet intimated to Britain its intention to build battleships. Moreover, it contemplated exceeding the 14in. gun limitation. This, it was stated, constituted the first information of Russia's ambitious proposals. Should Russia persist in exceeding 14in. guns, other clauses in the London Treaty would certainly collapse.