SID FOR POWER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12543, 3 May 1935, Page 5

SID FOR POWER

GERMAN ACTIVITY FOR 13 MONTHS. BRITAIN MUST AWAKEN. CRUISER POSITION SERIOUS. (U.P.A. bv Elec. Tel- Omyriaht) (Received May 2, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 2. Mr. Hector By water, the Daily Telegraph's naval correspondent, says that information not yet available to the public confirms the reality of the German hid for sea power. In the last eighteen months, active preparation in drawing offices, shipyards, steelworks and gun factories preceded the official avowal. Of the new programme of eleven German capital ships and cruisers built since 1929 all have greater cruising radius than any British man-o'-war. It is known that the ordnance shops at Essen and Dusseldorf are working at full blast. The heavy armour-plate factory is on overtime. This activity is not explained hy a programme of twelve small submarines whic-h German’.- can build in secrecy, and will probably do so.

“While there is no immediate cause for perturbation in London about the U-boats the cruiser position is regarded as serious. Already there are six German eruisc-rs more heavily gunned than the new ships of the Leander and A.rethusa type and which are individually superior to any of the twenty-six older vessels which comprise half of the British cruiser strength. Other German cruisers about to be started will be equal in gunpower and far superior in armour protection to any of our 10,009 ton county ships. In the light of these facts, the substantial enlargement of the British naval programme may soon !-p inevitable.