Almost Unsinkable

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 3, 5 January 1937, Page 7

Almost Unsinkable

Britain's New Mystery Ships

OTHER POWERS INQUISITIVE United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Monday, Midnight. LONDON, Jan. 4. The Morning Post’s naval correspondent says the battleships King George V and Prince oi Wales have already become the mystery ships of the world. Every naval Power is Envious to know their constructional details. The United states has deferred laying down its new battleships until it has some knowledge of the British designs.

The details are closely guarded, but the vessels will probably carry twelve 14-iuch guns housed iu four triple turrets permitting a high rate of fire, also 0-inchers housed in six twin turrets as a secondary armament.

In addition they will have at least eight 4.7-inch guns supplemented by four 8-barrelled pompoms and a number of multi-barrelled machine-guns tiring explosive bullets as anti-aircraft armament. They will certainly carry aircraft which are unlikely to number less than four and will probably resemble aircraft carriers either before or abaft the armament citadel. Arrangements will probably be made to enable the ships to be “trimmed down” when in action by flooding the water ballast tanks whereby they will be sunk some feet, thus increasing the protection to the sides and also decreasing the size of the target. The ships will be the most formidable units of any fleet as they are as nearly unsinkable as it is possible to make any ship. British Air Force Expansion Received Monday, 9.50 pan. LONDON, Jan. 4. The Daily Telegraph’s aeronautical correspondent reveals that an important feature of British Air Force expansion is the increase in the size of the squadrons some of whicih have 50 per cent more planes than previously. Reconnaissance squadrons have been increased from 12 to 18 machines and flying-boats from four to six. Fighter squadrons all possess 14 planes and bombers 12. Army co-operation squadrons will remain at 12 which is the most convenient size in view of their allotment to army divisions. Italy’s Submarines Italy now has twenty-four *ubmarines under construction, writes the Daily Telegraph’s naval correspondent. This is by far the largest current programme of any Power. In his speech on October 10 Signor Mussolini, referring to the state of Italy’s armaments, declared that at that time “several dozen” new warships were under construction in Italian shipyards. The majority of these are submarines ordered during the Mediterranean crisis. During the present year ten boats have been laid down in addition to the fourteen authorised last year.

When the 24 new boats are completed Italy will have 77 submarines of modern design, or only three fewer than France, the leading submarine Power. Japan has 66 post-war boats, Great Britain 47, and the United States 40. Of the 24 new Italian submarines, two are ocean-going units of 915 tons, two are mine-layers of 656 tons, and 20 are coastal submarines of COO tons. Large additions are being made to the naval personnel.