BLOWS TO- THE GERMAN NAVY

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 42, 17 April 1940, Page 5

BLOWS TO- THE GERMAN NAVY

STRENGTH IN SEPTEMBER AND NOW EFFECT OF WAR ACTIVITIES It is not yet possible to arrive at positive conclusions as to the result of the naval actions off the Norwegian coast, in the North Sea, and in the 'straits between the North Sea and the Baltic, but the following table is prepared from the data at present available to indicate the strength of the German navy on the outbreak of war and today. Ships reported as destroyed or substantially damaged are hown in heavy type. The main armament only is noted; all ships carry lighter and anti-aircraft guns in addition. Pockel-battleships and cruisers also carry torpedo tubes. The majority of the larger ships carry two aircraft. BATTLESHIPS Bismarck. —35,000 tons. Germany's latest battleship, launched 1939, and believed not yet in commission. Eight loin. guns. Speed about 23 knots. Tirpitz.—Sister-ship tq Bismarck, launched 1939; not yet in commission. Two heavier battleships building. BATTLE-CRUISERS Scharnhorst. —26,000 tons. Modern light battleship, completed 1939. Nine 11 in. guns. Speed 27 knots. Two aircraft. Believed damaged by gunfire by H.M.S. Renown, April 11. <Gneisenau. —Sister-ship to Scharnhorst, completed 1938. Damaged by ■ ' Norwegian, batteries and destroyed by mine, April 9. POCKET-BATTLESHIPS Lutzow (formerly Deutschland).—lo,ooo tons. Type ship of Germany’s pocket-battleships, completed 1931. Six llin. guns. Speed 20 knots. Two aircraft. .Admiral Scheer. —Sister to Deutschland, completed 1934. Struck by one or more torpedoes from H.M. submarine Spearfish, April 11. Admiral Graf Spee.—Sister-ship, completed 1934. Damaged and scuttled, Battle of the River Plate, December 12. OLDER BATTLESHIPS Hessen. 12,988 tons. Completed 1905, now a target ship. Schlesien— l2,3oo tons. Completed 1908, reconstructed 1925-30. Four llin. guns. Speed 18 knots. Sister-ship to Schlesien, also reconstructed. AIRCRAFT-CARRIERS ■Graf Zeppelin.—l9,2so tons. Launched 1938. Sixteen 5.9 in. guns. Speed about 32 knots. Forty aircraft. “B.” —Sister-ship to Graf Zeppelin, building. CRUISERS Blucher. 10,000 tons. Most modern of Germany’s medium cruisers, completed 1939. Eight Sin. guns. 32 knots. Admiral Hipper—Sister-ship to Blucher. Prinz Eugen.— lo,ooo tons. Eight Bin. guns. 32 knots. Launched 1938, may be in commission. Seydlitz.—Sister to Prinz Eugen. Launched 1939. “L.” — Sister-ship,, building. -VM” and “N.” — 7000 tons, building. ' ' LIGHT CRUISERS .Leipzig. 6000 tons. Completed 1931. Nine 5.9 in. guns. 32 knots. Seriously damaged by submarine Salmon, December, 1939. Nurnberg. —Sister to Leipzig, completed 1935. Konisberg.—oooo tons. Completed 1929. Nine 5.9 in. guns, two aircraft. 32 knots. Koln. —Sister to Konisberg, completed 1930. •Karlsruhe.—Sister to Konisberg, completed 1929. Destroyed by Norwegian action, April 9. (Cruiser of this class believed damaged by submarine action, December). fEmden. —45400 tons. Completed 1925. Eight 5.9 in. guns. 29 knots. Sunk by Norwegian minelayer Olav Tryggvason, April 9. DESTROYERS AND SUBMARINES Reliable up-to-date figures regarding Germany’s destroyer and submarine flotillas are not obtainable. The number of destroyers built and building at the beginning of 1939 was 38. At that time the German navy had built or building a total of 70 odd submarines, including 32 of the small coastal type of 250 tons, .but both through losses and through intensified building these figures have since been greatly altered. ...