BRITISH NAVY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12867, 22 May 1936, Page 5

BRITISH NAVY

NINE NEW DESTROYERS 'British Official Wireless.; RUGBY, May 19./ Subject to the settlement of certain points of detail tins Admiralty has decided to entrust the construction oh the nine Tribal class destroyers off the 19110 programme to the following firms: Mens s. Swan, Hunter and W ; glia in Richardson, of V all» end-on-Tyne, two vessels with machinery by ' the Wa 11 send Slipway and Engineering Company Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton, two vessels; Parsons Marine Steam turbine Company, of V allsend-on-iyne. two vessels with hulls by the 5 iekers Armstrong: Company; Scott’s Shipbuddhig and Eng'nee'ing Company, of Greenock, two vessels; and A. Stephen and Sons, oi Govan. one vessel.

HAWKINS CLASS OF CRUISERS POSITION AS TO REARMAMENT /British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 10. 'flic Pa'liamcntary Secretary to We Admiralty stated in the House of Commons at question t me that it wad not proposed to invoke the -escalator clause in the 19 : 30 naval treaty in respect to the Hawkins class of cruisrrs. Replying to a question regarding their rearmament, lie said it was intended to remove the 7.siii. gun- before December 51. but as the sli'p* wc"J to undergo large repa-rs to tit them for 10 years of further service, the rearmament would not be completed by the end of the year. Dur'iny the refit, ihe ships would b: given armament which would bring them within the sub-category <>' I ght surface- vessels a ; laid: down in tile- recent ag"cemeni. Informal conversations between representatives of Br-lam and -tho Sov--etj Embassy at 'London for the conclusion of a bilateral ugrocmcnt lo associate the Soviet Union in the execution of the recent London Naval Treaty opened at the Foreign Offic-e this afternoon.

TO BE COMPLETELY RE-ORGANISED.

DEFENCE OF CANADA

BJ.r A. by Eiec. ToL Copyright) OTTAWA, May' 2o

Th.e Canadian Minister of Dcioric.u Mr. lan .Mackenzie, announces ih.' complete reouganis'ation of the defence forces. The militia will be reduced. Irani 185,(100 to 90,000 into a mere compact body, and the traditional regiments will l:c str-iygthencd and given more adequate equipment. The infantry regiments will become six of infantiy and one of cavalry, the lifter to be mechanised.

The naval personnel will be increased and tho air force will he made more of a fighting unit.

JAPAN’S TREATY ATTJTUDI'

(H.P. A by Elec. Tel. Copyright) 1 Received Mav 21. 8.80 p.m.) LONDON, A lay 21

Tho Times Tokyo correspondent says: “Foreign Office officials decline to'anticipate the Japanese answer *.<> tho British memorandum of May 20. They believe ’the British action due to the .submarine building of European countries. According to the vernacular press, tho Japanese naval authorities cannot easily accent the British proposals

which will require cautious examination. It is suggested as compensation that Japan may demand the retention of part of her- excess submarine tonnage," now totalling 74.000 tons, instead of 52,000 to which under the London treaty it* should be reduced hv tho end of the year.