MYSTERY FLEETS OF RUSSIA AND GERMANY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3465, 14 April 1930, Page 2

MYSTERY FLEETS OF RUSSIA AND GERMANY.

(HI ii. J. Greeuwall.) There are two ghosts at the Naval Conference—two very live ghosts, one German and one Russian. Let ns take the Russian ghost first. Soviet Russia is not a member of the League of Nations. But —Soviet Russia is building a very effective navv in the yards of Kronstadt, a great naval yard only a few miles f>om‘Leningrad. it is a real “hush-hush” navy, because nobody is allowed to go near Kronstadt without a special permit—and special permits are not granted. The Soviet Government even control the population of Kronstadt. Everybody is controlled. This measure would not attract, any great attention oxcejw for a very recent and rather amazing fact : the Soviet Black Sea fleet a few weeks agd sailed 1 .through the Dardanelles in absolute defiance of the Lausanne Treaty, which regulates sea traffic through these straits. Now let ns look at the German ghost - a rather more solid ghost. Germany., according to the Treaty ol A ersailles, is allowed to build cruisers, six of them, of 10,000 tons each . But the people who drafted the naval clause of Hie Versailles Treaty did not think to regulate gun power ol these ships. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Express, telephoning last night, gives some interesting details of the first German 10.000-ton cruiser which has appeared. The ship is known in experi circles as the “pocket battleship.” Tiie correspondent says; "The 91.000.090 wonder shin, the Krsaiz Preiisscn. is lining built at full pressure in the nary yard at Kiel. She will lie launched in October of next year. Site will be a match for far larger vessels, while her speed 'sill allow her to outdistance them. (i is said that 'lie will he able to fight three cruisers of her own size without fear. “She has six M-im-li gnus. arranged in two triple turrets, eight six-inch gnu. mounted singly, a number of antiaircraft guns, ami torpedo lubes arranged in two balleries of three each. The medium artillery is monnle,| in Iwo groups on the upper deck between the heavy artillery InrreL. so that both sd -of n 1 11 1 i 1111 1 i l ion chambers a - join each oilier. “The ships of (bis class, have an I leincly small draught lor their -.••■' lit and size. The -pockcl ballle-dnp’ v 0! have a .speed of L’s knots, and will 1 e able to t ia\el 10.000) mil ■- wit hoot I O fuelbug. I'lie (wo !he el engines , a a dev, b,p 50.000 horse-power. There are mans oilier "oiilrivam-es which mala ill,-" 'll ps d, mils Old,:, tan t s for wdia • we have beer, , all ilia, , a pit a I .hips.” I'bls I' ibe real probl, m (hat i lie Five Power Naval Conference has to face Ibi' rad her solid ghost.