CABLE ITEMS

Inangahua Times, 11 December 1929, Page 3

CABLE ITEMS

(Ana Proas tea and ftn Cable.) IBj Osetns rmpyt.gst), NEW WARSHIPS LS r- u London, December 9 i- The “ Daily Telegraph’s ” navi it correspondent, 'commenting on th latest edition of “ Jane’s Fightin it Ships,” emphasises that the net d types of vessels being constructe e are tending to throw the treat i- cruisers into disfavour, and to min: c mise the chances of their use te s years hence. Foiemrst among th h designs is the German ves3Preussen.” She is the most re s tnarkable post-war warship, but 'her a is evidence that the smaller Power s are showing rem irk.ible ingenuity ii invention. The notable Jipanesi ar cruiser “ Nachi," the first of a clas r with five turrets, each containing r two eight-inch guns, six 4.7 amirl V ships, and two sets of triple torpedc i tubes, and a castle-like bridgeworV presents a truly menacing appear I , ance, and is a strange contrast to thi . prim-looking British ’’ Kent ” anc I “ London" classes. The Nachi alst ( carries an aeroplane-launching cata. I pult. Another novel warship is th. : Japanese net layer, “ Shirateka,” ' designed to cateh submarines- , An example of developing in peace time war vessels capable of quick multiplication wiien needed, is the Japanese destroyer “ Fubuki,” which has gas proof gun houses instead of the open shield, which must ulti mately be incorporated in all such vessels. Other types show that the fetish ol speed at the expense of protection is being questioned- Notably is this the case In the plans of the Italian cruiser “ Zara,” while the ” Banda nere ” and her five sisters, instead of her glorified destroyers, will be reduced editions of the “ Zara,” with six-isch guns, capable of steaming 37 knots with many possibilities for work with the fleet in the Mediterranean. The French air craft tender, Com mander Teste, has undergone many modifications in armament. Her catapult equipment is like Australia’s Albatross and belongs to the class required as second line to the larger fioatiug aerodromes. BRITISH SOVIET AMBASSADOR Rugby, December 6 Sir Esmond Ovey, the newlyappointed British Ambassador to the Union of Socialist Soviet Republic, is expected to leave for his post to- 1 morrow, and Monsieur Solnikott, the j newly appointed Soviet Amhassador | to London, is reported to have left , Warsaw last night en route to 1 England. j Sir Empnd Ovey will beaceom - panied by Messrs Ashton Gwatkin and Mark Patrick, counsellor and secretary respectively, aed Colonel Mitford, attache. Mr Pafon, who ' has held Consular posts at Vladivostok and elsewhere iq the Far East, will be commercial counsellor at the , British Embassy. j The Soviet Ambassador, M. Solni- i koff, is expected in London on Tuesday or Wednesday next . Fatal Train Derailment Twelve Killed, 75 Injured Reed 10 5 a.m Paris, Dec 10 j A Namur message stetes that the failure of the breaks when descending a steep bank near the station, derailed a passenger train and four carriages were telescoped. There were scenes of horror, and rescue I work was very difficult. ! It is believed a dozen were killed and seventy-five injured. The carriages were crowded, many standing. The train was speeding at sixty miles per hour when the derailment turned the engine completely round three carriages. The others remained in a vertical position. The rescuers, aided by the Fire Brigade, and special cranes from Brussels, wrestled for three hours , catting through the metal plates. j The dead were terribly mutilated. Soviet Anti-Religion Campaign : Burning of Ikons Reed io 5 a m j Moscow, Dec 10 ! The entire population of Gerlovka witnessed a public antireligious ceremony of burning four i thousand ikons, J M- Stalin sent the following j message:—“ To-day fell the priestly fortress of darkness and chicanery.” Five churches at Serukhova have been converted into grain stores in furtherance of the Christmastide quickening of the athiest propaganda. REV. D. C. BATES RETURNS. AFTER TRIP TO EUROPE. (Per United Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Rev. D. C. Bates returned by the Ulimaroa today after a trip to Europe as Dominion representative at the International Meteorological Conference.