FOUR BATTLESHIPS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 1 March 1939, Page 10

FOUR BATTLESHIPS

NEW BRITISH GIANTS MANY NOVEL FEATURES HEAVILY-ARMOURED BRIDGES ; LONDON, 22nd February. I The two battleships to be laid down I by Britain in the coming financial! year will be of 40,000 tons, and be equipped with 16-inch guns. They will be sister-ships to the Lion and Temeraire, also of 40.000 tons and 16-inch guns, and with them will form a homogenous squadron. An interesting new feature in these ships is that the bridge will be gasproof and armoured against all known calibres of machine-gun bullets from the air. Able to fire 15601 b shells a distance of 20 miles, the 14-inch guns of the battleship King George V. will be the Navy’s first all-steel, instead of wirebound, guns. It is believed that the ship is fitted with ballast tanks which can be filled before battle. Thus, she would sink deeper in the water and present a smaller target. Details of the anti-aircraft armament are a closely-guarded secret, but it is known to be more formidable than anything hitherto contemplated. The “Manchester Guardian’s” naval correspondent regards as the most important item of the new programme the construction of 20 escort vessels of a new type, as showing the importance attached to the defence of the merchant navy. “It cannot, however, be pretended,” ho says, “that this new provision is adequate. Britain’s naval architects have not yet evolved an escort vessel able to cope with foreign Powers’ everincreasing high-speed heavily-armed surface craft.” The correspondent adds that it is believed the Admiralty favours big destroyers capable of working with the fleet anywhere in the world.