GERM FLEET REMNANTS

Evening Star, Issue 25699, 24 January 1946, Page 5

GERM FLEET REMNANTS

FINAL SHARE-OUT. AMONG THREE GREAT POWERS BRITAIN OFFERS WARSHIPS TO FRANCE LONDON, January 23. A joint British, American, and Russian communique has disclosed that the Potsdam Conference decided that operable surface units of the German fleet, together with 30 U-boats, should be divided equally ..among the three Powers and the remainder of the German fleet should be destroyed. A tripartite, naval commission was accordingly appointed, and it recently reported to the Governments of the three Powers. The Governments are at present considering the report, but have accepted the recommendations on the allocation of the main units, the division of which among the three Powers is now being made. ' The Foreign Office stated that the British Government had offered, to transfer a number of the German warships allocated to Britain to the French Government. Discussions on French requirements are at present being held .between British and French naval experts. The final share-out of the remnants of the German fleet, according to the ' Daily Herald's ' and ' Daily Telegraph's ' naval correspondents, gives Britain 13 destroyers and torpedo boats, 10 U-boats, 21 depot ships, and '612 other units, mostly landing craft, waterboats "and tugs. The United States and Russia get one cruiser each —the 10,000-ton Prinz Eugen and the 6,000-ton Nuremberg respectively—also 7 and 10 destroyers and torpedo boats respectivelv, 10 U-boats each, 12 and 15 depot ships, and 560 and 507 other units respectively.