ITALY'S NAVY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 11, 14 January 1931, Page 9

ITALY'S NAVY

RAPID EXPANSION

BUILDING PROGRAMME

AIM AT SUPEEMACY

Dnited Press Association— By Electric T<l«-

graph—Copyright.

LONDON, 12th January.

The "Daily Telegraph's" naval contributor says that Italy's naval building confirms the idea that she is aiming at supremacy in tho Mediterranean rather than at parity with Trance. Practically every shipyard is working on naval contracts, and further huge orders have just been placed.

Italy last year launched seven cruisers, against one by France and none by Britain. t Sixteen warships were completed during the year, and an order for 22 submarines has just been placed—tho largest by any Power since the war. Tho Government and private arsenals are -working at high pressure to supply armament, munitions, and equipment.

"Such scenes. of activity in naval armament centres are unparalleled in peace time," states the writer.

A report on, the Naval Budget declared recently that Italy leads the world in naval technique. Her warships aro designed more efficiently, built more rapidly, and achieve higher speeds than those of tho other Powers. Certainly there is no denying the phenomenal development in Italian naval power since the war.