UP TO TREATY LIMITS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 149, 21 December 1936, Page 13

UP TO TREATY LIMITS

BRISK BUILDING

Details will shortly be published of Germany's huge nkval n construction programme, said the "Daily Telegraph" recently. Under the Anglo-German Naval Agreement of June, 1935, Germany is permitted to build up to 35 percent, of British naval tonnage. It is'evident that she is making every effort to do so in the shortest possible time.

It is not denied that the following fifty-six war vessels are now under construction:—One 35,000-ton battleship, one 19,250-ton aircraft carrier, three 10,000-ton cruisers, six 1811-ton destroyers, twelve 600-ton torpedo boats, ten 500-ton submarines, four 250----ton submarines, fifteen minesweepers, and' four speed-boats for - coastal defence. . ~

To this list may be added the 26,000----ton battleship which was already known to be under construction. She will be a sister-ship to the Scharnhorst, which was launched recently and was Germany's first new battleship to exceed the Versailles Treaty limit of 10,000 tons. She will be equipped with 11-inch guns and will probably be named the Gneisenau. j It is also intimated that plans are being made for a 23,000-ton aircraft carrier and for improving the catapulting of (aeroplanes from battleships and "cruisers. The building of aircraft carriers hardly accords with Germany's claim that her navy is chiefly intended for coastal defence. This type of craft would be of little value in the Baltic. Of. late, however, there has been much talk in naval circles of the necessity of building up a navy "for the defence of Germany's trade routes." ANOTHER INFLUENCE. German naval policy has also been affected by the Dardanelles Convention, which came into force recently, permitting Turkey to refortify the Dardanelles. It is held that this is bound to work out to the advantage of Russia, as she will now be able to reinforce her Baltic fleet from the Black Sea. .•■ >■• The German naval programme now announced contains no surprises, comments the newspaper's naval correspondent. That one or more 35,000-ton battleships were! building has already ben disclosed in the "Daily Telegraph," which also revealed some months ago that new aircraft carriers were being laid down.. Earlier this year it was admitted in Berlin that Germany, had 36 submarines built or under construction. Germany is entitled to build 35,000----ton capital ships and 10,000-ton cruisers, and indeed any type and number of ships so long as the Anglo-German treaty limits are not overstepped.