UNDERSEA BOATS

Evening Star, Issue 22975, 4 June 1938, Page 25

UNDERSEA BOATS

ITALIAN PROGRAMME Jt is stated in ‘ Brassey’s Naval Annual ’ for 1938 that Italy began 20 submarines during the last financial year, the smallest being of 896 tons and the largest of 1,127 tons. “When these are completed,” says the writer, “ she will have 116 submarines, of which more than 40 per cent, will have been built since January 1, 1935. A further but unspecified number of submarines will be laid down in 1938.” Comparative figures show that Italy has more than trebled her submarine force since 1932, when she possessed only 37 of these vessels. In the same period British submarine strength declined from 58 boats to 54. It is pointed out that in 1932 there were more British destroyers than there were submarines in the three principal Continental navies—lsl against 126. To-day our destroyers number 161, but the submarines in the navies mentioned have increased to 183, and in addition Germany has completed 36 submarines and is building 25 more. - By contrast it is recalled that in -August, 1914, Great Britain had 321 destroyers and torpedo boats, or more than twice as many of the number of submarines in all the European navies put together. SUBMARINE’S FUTURE. Admiral Sansonetti, of the Italian navy, discusses in ‘ Brassey ’ the future of the submarine. “ Some naval critics,” he writes, “ find it fashionable to-day to undervalue the submarine. In practice, however, if anti-submarine devices have made great progress the same can be said of submarine construction, of their machinery, armaments, and equipment. “ In addition, the particular characteristics of the zones in which Italy may have occasion to defend herself are suitable for the employment of submarines according to modern conceptions. New progress which is being made in the instruments necessary for the efficient use of submarines is such that the Italian naval command can place every reliance in these vessels.” Dealing with air power in naval warfare, Admiral Sansonetti claims that “ the whole Mediterranean is well within the range of Italian air bases.” Italy, it is stated in a Rome report, intends to have a submarine fleet of 170 vessels before 1941. Some of these will be ocean-going craft, able to cruise round Africa without refuelling—a voyage of about 5,500 miles. Signor Fioravenzo is quoted as saying that Italy is now the strongest factor in the Central Mediterranean. He declares that she is more powerful than either Britain or Fance in the eastern sector, while, thanks to her Sardinian bases, she could exert strong pressure in the western area.