NEW GERMAN CRUISERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20642, 14 February 1929, Page 9

NEW GERMAN CRUISERS

FOUR TO BE BUILT. ANXIETY IN FRANCE. (United Press Association.) CBy Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, February 13. (Received Feb. 14, at. 1,20 a.m.) The Paris correspondent of The Times states that the French Ministry of Marine is watching with intense interest and no little anxiety the German Government’s naval plans, as revealed in the proposed new cruiser. It is the first of four of the same class. Herr Groener recently indicated that they were designed to secure Germany’s preponderance in the Baltic, but what the French authoritias are asking is, if they are really designed to control the Baltic why should they be -so. superior? Though they are displacing only 10.000 ton vessels they arc enormously superior in gun power and protection to the conventional type of 10,000-ton vessel, which they could blow out ot the water with immunity to themselves. The radius of action of the German ships would enable long operational periods in the Mediterranean and further afield, and wherever they appear they will enjoy superiority against any force which does not include, a squadron of super-Dreadnoughts. The French view is that Germany is thus using her treaty rights to replace her six obsolete. battleships. Competition in naval building is inevitable unless limitation is secured by agreement, and the German Government will assume a heavy responsibility if it starts a new armaments race.—Australian Press Association.