ITALIAN NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23218, 12 December 1938, Page 11

ITALIAN NAVY

INCREASING STRENGTH MANY SHIPS BUILDING DEVELOPMENT OF BASES DOMINATE MEDITERRANEAN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received December 11, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 10 An official German publication discloses that Italy's fighting fleet had grown from 270 vessels aggregating 360,000 tons in 1922 to 330 vessels aggregating 560,000 tons at the end of last year. At present- a further 260,000 tons are under construction and are due for completion in 1942, when the aggregate tonnage will be 700,000 tons. The Italian Navy will then include eight battleships, 19 cruisers, 100 destroyers and 100 submarines. Four of the battleships will be of 35.000 tons, each armed with nine loin, guns. The cruisers are claimed to be the fastest of their type in the world. Simultaneously, the modernisation and development of naval bases is proceeding, and several new bases are being developed in the Italian colonies. The writer says bases in Libya for air and naval forces will enable Italy to close the channel between Sicily and Africa, cutting the trade highway between Gibraltar and Suez. Italy is also developing the strong position of Italian East Africa facing the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

FRENCH BATTLESHIP NEW 35,000-TON VESSEL LAUNCHING 4. JANUARY 17 (Received December 11, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, Dec. 10 The first 35,000-ton French battleship, the Richelieu, is to be launched op January 17. It will be christened by a workman's wife. 1 The keel of a sister ship, the Clemenceau, is to be laid down immediately afterwards. NEW NAVAL VESSELS BRITISH LAUNGHINGS (Received December 11, 5.5 p.m.) British "Wireless LONDON, Dec. 10 A new river gunboat was launched at Southampton to-day for the Yangtse flotilla. Two naval vessels were also launched from Clyde shipyards, namely ■ a destroyer and a submarine. "SURE SHIELD" VALUE TO SOUTH AFRICA (Received December 11, 5.5 p.m.) JOHANNESBURG. Dec. 10 The deputy-Prime Minister of South Africa, General Smuts, in a speech said nobody could do South Africa a more serious disservice than to make it possible for the country to be deprived of the ultimate protection which it has in the Royal Navy. It remained a sure shield to this country.