45 WARSHIPS TO BE LAUNCHED IN 1939

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 11

45 WARSHIPS TO BE LAUNCHED IN 1939

Peacetime Record For British Navy

FIVE BIGGEST CAPITAL SHIPS EVER BUILT

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received Dec. 17, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, December 16.

The "Daily Telegraph’s” naval correspondent, Hector By water, says that Britain in 1939 will launch 45 new warships with a total tonnage of 355,705, which is a peacetime record.

The launchings will consist of five battleships, three aircraftcarriers, five large cruisers, seven small cruisers, 11 destroyers, nine submarines, and five sloops, also a considerable number of auxiliary craft, including boom defence vessels, motor torpedo-boats, depot ships and tugs. x The battleships, each of 35,000 tons with a speed of 30 knots, will be the largest, most strongly armoured and the fastest Britain has ever built. Each will carry 10 14inch guns of a new and most powerful type.. The aircraft-carriers will each be 23,000 tons and the large cruisers of 8000 tons, with a speed of 33 knots. They will mount 12 sixinch guns. The smaller cruisers will be of 5450 tons, with a speed of 33 knots. Their main armament will consist of 10 5.2-inch guns, firing 14 rounds a minute. The submarines will all be ocean-, going. The sloops are mostly escort vessels, heavily armed with anti-aircraft guns.