EMPIRE'S NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22004, 10 January 1935, Page 6

EMPIRE'S NAVY

[EFFECT OF LONDON TREATY

CRUISER FLEET LIMITS

SURPASSED BY OTHER NATIONS

Remarks regarding the alleged ineffectiveness of Britain's reply to other countries' 'cruiser building as a result of the London Naval Treaty are given in the latest volume of "Jane's Fighting Ships."

Reference i:;i made to the new class of 9000-ton Minotaur cruisers, which are regarded .11s a response to the Japanese Mogami class and the American Savannah class. The British vessels, compared with the Japanese and American, are stated to be outgunned by three six-iuchers on each vessel. It is asserted that Britain ranks second to America in numbers, but that both the American and Japanese possess greater gun-pswer in these classes. Britain predominates in smaller cruisers mounting Gin. guns, but this, it is stated, is only owing to the treaty forcing the keeping of old and largely worn-out ships in commission to maintain certain numbers. However, the nc-w 9000-ton cruisers are to be armed with 12.6 in. guns in triple turrets, the first time this system has been applied in the Navy. But their speed will probably not exceed 32 knots.

German and French Ships

Germany in 1934 laid the keels of two more "pocket battleships," which will bring her total to five. She has also begun a new cruiser. The early pojjket battleships have been severely criticised in Germany as possessing insufficient speed to bring cruisers to bay, and it is expected that these new 10,000-tonners armed with six llin. guns, will prove more formidable, especially as Germany does not consider herself bound longer by the Versailles Treaty. Details of the new French Dtinkerque and Strasbourg—both battlocruisers—show them to be modified Nelsons, with the main armament massed forward, the secondary armament aft. and a massive control tower —on the British principle now adopted also by America, Japan and Germany—in place of the usual foremast.

The new French minelayer is regarded as a remarkable boat. With a displacement of 5886 tons, she carries nine 6in. guns. six torpedo tubes, two aeroplanes, arid a full load of mines. On trial, she reached the amazing speed of 40 knots. France has also the greatest submarine force, numbering 100, and has la:id down 52 cruisers in the last 12 years, the majority being vessels of 2500 to 3000 tons, of a speed of 37 knots.

Italy and Japan

The two new 35,000-ton battleships which Italy has laid down —thus increasing the difficulties of the Powers, like Britain, which would have preferred vessels to reach a maximum size of about 25,000 tons —are still "secret," but are believed to strike a new note in naval construction. Two old Italian battleships have been modernised and have increased their speed from 26 to 32 knots. Italy's post-war cruisers—a splendid fleet —attain in many cases a speed of 40 knots, and she possesses 78 submarines and many up-to-date destroyers. Japan is revealed as possessing a record number of minelayers, namely, 22, many of them fast Diesel-driven vessels. Some of the latest submarines are 2000-tonners, and are obviously designed for oversea operations. But, according to British ideas, Japanese warships of all types carry too much top-hamper and are over-gunned. The Tomozuru, which capsized last year, is barely one-third the displacement of a British destroyer, but carried an armament of approximately the same weight. Since that disaster extensive modifications of design have begun. Finally, it is remarked that it appears that Russia now possesses powerful modernised battleships, some heavily-armed cruisers and many minelayers, submarines and destroyers. One of the new submarines is named Bezhojnik, or ' Godless."