Britain to Launch Forty-five Warships Next Year

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1938, Page 9

Britain to Launch Forty-five Warships Next Year

(Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, December 16. Britain, in 1939, will launch 45 new warships, . with a total tonnage of 355,705, a peace-time record, says the naval correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” The ships include five battleships, three aircraft carriers, five large cruisers, seven small cruisers, eleven destroyers, nine submarines, five sloops, and also a considerable number of auxiliary craft, including boom defence vessels, motor torpedo boats, depot ships and tugs. The battleships, each of 35,000 tons, and with a speed of 30 knots, will be the largest, most strongly armoured, and the fastest Britain has ever built. Each will carry ten 14in. guns of a new and very powerful type.

The aircraft carriers are each of 23,000 tons. The large cruisers are 8000tonners, with a speed of 33 knots, and carry twelve 6in. guns.

The smaller cruisers are of 5450 tons, with a speed of 33 knots, and carry ten 5.2 in. guns capable of firing 14 rounds a minute.

The submarines are all ocean-going. The sloops are mostly escort vessels, but are heavily armed with antiaircraft guns.

assure the House we- are pursuing, a policy which is sane, and which will enable Britain to rise again if she is ever threatened,” said the Earl of Birkenhead, replying for the Government in the House of Lords to the debate on the voluntary National Register proposal.

Lord Birkenhead said the register was being prepared in such a way that it could quickly be completed in an emergency without unduly disturbing industry. All interests would be a fully represented on the local committee.

Giving figures in regard to air raid precautions, Lord Birkenhead said that on October 1 the number of airraid wardens required was 420,000 men and 100,000 women, and the number recruited was 380,000 men and 85,839 women. For the first eight posts the number required was 140,000 men and 220,000 women, and the number recruited was 117,295 men and 194,440 women. The Royal Air Force, recruiting had been quite satisfactory, while in regard to the Regular Army 220.000 men were required, and there was a deficiency of about 20.000. For the Territorial Army, the number recruited was just over 200,000.

Dealing with the Royal Navy, Lord Birkenhead said the total strength of officers and men in 1935 was 93,000. and the strength today was 119,000. There was a serious shortage in artificer candidates, but the figures were improving.