BRITAIN'S NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23320, 13 April 1939, Page 16

BRITAIN'S NAVY

SECRETS DISCLOSED ASSURANCE OF STRENGTH READY FOR ANY CHALLENGE ANTI-SUBMARINE DEVICES . [from our own correspondent] LONDON, March 23 The Navy Estimates of £149,000 000 are a new record. Introducing them in the House of Commons, Mr. Geoffrey Shakespeare, Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, disclosed several naval secrets, and said that Britain's antisubmarine defence was "more advanced than any in the world." In nine cases out of 10, under stringent test, Britain's submarinehunting flotillas have been able, with the modern listening gear, to locate the exact position of submerged craft without any doubt, he said. One thousand merchant ships have had their decks stiffened ready for mounting guns for their own defence. Two thousand gnns are in store ready for such mounting and large numbers can be added to these within a reasonable time. Armament equipment for all the vessels that will be taken* over, on the outbreak of war, for anti-submarine work is in stock and ear-marked for the'purpose. Anti-aircraft Gunfire

The 20 new escort vessels are to be of 900 tons displacement, high speed, and armed to meet both submarine and aircraft attack. Conversion of 36 overape destroyers and 16 over-age cruisers for anti-aircraft work "progressively proceeds." Mr. Shakespeare also produced some dramatic figures. To convey the extent of anti-aircraft gunfire from a modern battleship, he said it would create a zone 200 times as large as the debating chamber of the House into which no aeroplane could enter without the probability of its destruction. This is the most graphic illustration yet given to the lay public of the nature of antiaircraft fire; those who have hitherto described target practice in this field have been hampered by the Official Secrets Act in their efforts to make clear the dangers that confront attacking aircraft. Mr. Shakespeare also went much further than anyone else in his description of modern deck armour. He said this protection as built into the latest ships is effective against high-angle, highvelocity shells from guns, which fall on the deck with two or three times the smashing power of the bomb, and he claimed that this "afforded sufficient protection against the bomb." The Admiralty spokesman declared his belief "that our Fleet is so strong to-day that it can confidently accept a direct challenge in battle by any probable combination of foes." Submarine-hunting Flotillas

Referring to Britain's submarinehunting flotillas, Mr. Shakespeare said: "I cannot reveal the nature and extent of our progress in this respect, but I believe that our methods of detecting, hunting and 'killing' submarines are more advanced than any others in the world.

"I myself have taken part in a hunt for submerged submarines whose position was unknown, and I imjwsed conditions which satisfied me as to the bona fides of the'test. In nine cases out of 10, without any doubt, the exact position of the submarine was detected.

"The proved success of convoy and the development of scientific mtrthods of detection put us in .a batter position to face this menace. But that does not mean that we shall not need to continue our efforts to create a large pool of anti-submarine vessels for these purposes. "In January, 1938, in order to put an end to piracy in the Mediterranean, we announced publicly that in future we would sink any submarine found to be submerged in certain areas. After the announcement was made no case of piracy occurred. I leave members to draw their own deductions.''