RUSSIA'S SEA POWER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26909, 22 October 1948, Page 5

RUSSIA'S SEA POWER

NEW NAVAL CONSTRUCTION SUBMARINES PREDOMINATE N.Z.P.A.—Copyright LONDON, Oct. 20. The foreword to the fiftieth issue of Jane’s Fighting Ships says that new naval construction in Russia consists mainly of submarines, of which more than 250 are said to be in service and fully 100 more are believed to be under construction. “ It is evident that Russia, like Germany. is inclined to rely chiefly on the submarine as a naval weapon, says the foreword. “An exceptional amount of fresh information has been collected concerning the Soviet Navy,” the foreword continues. “Although the total strength of the Soviet Fleet has been substantially increased the ships added are of varied types, among which ex-German, ex-Japanese and ex-Italian units figure conspicuously. The Russians resuscitated some wrecks which would not seem to have been worth the cost of salving, apparently with the idea that nothing must be wasted if it can possibly be utilised. “The Japane Fleet is about to rise like the Phoenix from its ashes, and, although the present material is limited to 50,000 tons, with no single vessel displacing over 1500 tons, this may well prove the nucleus of a new navy. One has only to recall the renaissance of the German Fleet which followed the period of comparative quiescence during which—on paper—the tonnage restrictions on the Versailles Treatv were observed Transfers of surplus ships of the British and United States Navies to those of minor Powers continue unabated Some ‘•.mailer navies have be?n augmented to an unprecedented extent" Corrmen’ing on Britain’s discarding of three ships of the Royal Sovereign class and an equal number of the Queen Elizabeth class, together with the Nelson, Rodnev and Renown, the foreword states: “Seldom has such a powerful group of capital ships aggregating 280,000 tons been removed from the list by a single stroke.”