NEW SEA POWER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23401, 18 July 1939, Page 16

NEW SEA POWER

GERMANY'S NAVY POWERFUL CRUISERS BRITISH OUTCLASSED [from our own correspondent] LONDON 1 , July 2!) Germany has just placed the 10.000ton armoured cruiser Bluecher in coinmission. writes Mr. Hector C. By water naval correspondent of the Daily Telegraph.^ She is first of a series of five, the others being Admiral Hipper, Prinz •Eugcn, Seydlitz and one named Lutzow, which is building at the Deschimag yard at Bremen. I understand that (ivo more ships of this class are included in the-current programme, to be completed in 19-12-43. Although their nominal displacement is 10,000 tons, their weight in sea-going condition is nearly 14,000 tons. The Bluecher is 610 ft. long, with a beam nearly 70ft., increased to 71ft. in the later ships. On paper these ships correspond - to our; 13 County cruisers, completed nine or 10 years ago, but, in fact, the German ships are much more formidable. They have a more modern design, carry tlio new high-velocity long-range guns, and, above all have a great superiority in armour and under-water protection. Heavier British Cruisers Urged The Bluecher has eight Bin. guns, 12 4.lin. anti-aircraft guns, and 12 smaller A.A. pieces on high-angle mountings, besides 12 torpedo tubes. Many British officers think our County .cruisers would be fatally handicapped in action with these now German vessels because of their flimsy protection and the expanse of target they offer, not to mention their inferior underwater defence. It,would seem, therefore, to be common prudence that we should lay down armoured cruisers at once of a type at least equal in all-round fighting power to the new German ships. We arc fettered by the restrictions of the London Naval Treaty of JO.'IG, which forbids the construction of Bin.gun cruisers before 19<12. Circumstances havo altered so much since that treaty was signed, however, that Britain would seem to have a right to denounce the treaty entirely or to invoke the relevant "escape" clause, to gain freedom to build heavier cruisers. Treaty Denunciation Suggested I am told on good authority that neither the United 'States nor France, our original co-signatories • to this treaty, would raise" serious objection to such action. As matters stand, of the 25 British cruisers completing or still on the stocks, all are to bo armed with tlio Gin. gun, and they would be easy prey for the German Bin. armoured cruisers. Unless we resume without delay the construction of Bin-gun ships, strongly protected, we must face the contingency of having our trade-protection cruisers shot to pieces. Experience in the last war proved that in modern naval actions a lightlyarmed ship rarely if ever stands even a sporting chanco against heavier metal. In view of the largo programme of Bin.-gun cruisers which Germany has adopted since her recent denunciation of the Anglo-German naval agreement, early counter-action on our part would I aeem to be imperative.