NAVAL POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 208, 1 August 1935, Page 7

NAVAL POLICY

NOT TO BE GIVEN.

DECLARATION IN COAIAIONS. “IRRESPONSIBLE STATEAIENTS.”

(United Press Association—ify Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received August 1, 11.40 a.m. RUGBY, July 31.

The First Lord of the Admiralty (Sir Bolton Eyrcs-Monsell) was questioned in the House of Commons regarding the Government's naval programme. Asked whether, in view of the danger of the publication of unofficial statements, lie would make an official pronouncement, ho replied in the negative. “The naval programme of this country cannot be determined until the results of the Naval Conference and the programmes of the other Bowers are known, and as no official pronouncement can therefore be made no attention need lie paid to unofficial and irresponsible statements,” he said. Replying to a supplementary question as to whether a programme had already been submitted to the other naval Bowers, the First Lord replied that, naturally, a hypothetical programme had been put forward in order to discover what the other Bowers wanted. GERMAN NAVAL SHIPS. BRITISH VESSELS OUTGUNNED. LONDON, July 31. The Daily Telegraph’s naval correspondent says that Germany’s 26,000tou battleships are rapidly approaching the launching stage. They will be named Seharnhorst and Gneisenau.

Outstanding features are their speed of over 30 knots, their robust protection, and electrically-worked gun mountings, enabling three aimed rounds per minute per gun. They will outrange the guns of every British ship except the Nelson, Rodney and Hood. Two cruisers, several destroyers and at least 12 submarines are also expected to be afloat by the end of the year. The German naval personnel last year was 15,000 ; it is now estimated to be 30,000.