ABDUL, A.B.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 20 August 1925, Page 7

ABDUL, A.B.

TURKEY CREATES NEW NAVY

A FIVE-YEAR-PROGR AAIME

It must not be thought that because mixed bathing has been authorised this VG«ir in Turkey tor the first time that the Turks regard the sea as a source ot amusement onlj’. 'They are again turning their, eyes to the days when Turkey and Venice were among the great maritime Powers of Eastern Europe. The Turkish Ministry is devoting its energies to tlie creation of a new defensive navy which can be handled in cohesion * with the army .and air forces. It will take at least five years to carry out the programme, and in the meantime the Turkish authorities assert that their aim is neither aggression nor tlie awakening of armament competition in the Neat- East. According to the Constantinople correspondent of the Afanchester Guardian. the Turkish naval officer is superseding the army officer in public attention in the streets of Constantinople. Witli the opening of the summer, seaplane squadrons fly over tlie town from Smyrna and, pass on to Black Sea ports. Nocturnal naval manoeuvres have been conducted beyond the islands in the Marmora, and tlie younger officers in the naval establishments are undergoing intensive training. Alodern mines aiitl other equipment are arriving, and Ismid. the .naval base. i s being adequately protected. _ It is* understood that tlie Navj 7 , which will work in full contact with the autonomous Grant General Staff, will consist principally of small units destroyeis, mine-lavers. mine-sweepers and submarines. Two of the submarines have been ordered ill Holland after a technical inspection of the various European «bi'ivards. Furtner purchases will probab’v he made out of the recent naval budget of £1.750,000. including eight ■nnre submarines. The battleship Torgut and two cruisers will he made seaworthy. For these and other repairs a vast floating dock is being delivered by ■i German shipyard, and great efforts will be made to renovate the Goeben — • f she is not too far gone. She is nowknown as the Yavouz. Armstrong-Yiokers will receive no more concessions, and Turkey is constructing its new arsenal at Tsmid without foreign assistance. Instead of inviting a foreign mission to undertake (lie naval organisation she is engaging ndividual specialists for the various dennrtments. But these will have no offi- • ini position in the fleet itself, although nil’ manage the naval college for +he training of squadron and fleet commanders. To these foreign specialists will be entrusted the inspection of the ■■.ottv officers. But the supreme eom.mend nf tlie fleet and of the various •.gifs will “remain exclusively* in Turkish 'winds. *