NEW BRITISH WARSHIPS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18858, 8 November 1935, Page 12

NEW BRITISH WARSHIPS

PROGRAMME FOR 1935 DEFENCE LOAN RUMORS From hints recently thrown out by tin* Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr Baldwin,; it is expected that the Government will take steps to strengthen the Royal Navy immediately the -'Loudon Naval Treaty determines, next yearThere are rumors in naval circles that a ''Defence Loan" may be' launched to cover the cost of battleship replacements, at least 20 new cruisers, and a considerable number of destroyers and submarines. .Meanwhile, the 21 "ships comprised in '.he 1935 naval programme will shortly he laid down, the. Admiralty., already having begun to -call for tenders. The programme provides for the' const ruction of three cruisers, ono flotilla leader, eight destroyers, throe submarines, oti submarine" depot ship'',' lour sloops, one surveying ship,- and several small craft, at a' total'cost of about £110,000,000. As it normally, takes "two and a half years to complete a cruiser; it is expected that the ■programme- will be spread over a period of three years. The work of preparing the- contracts will be finished by February''jiext, but it is difficult at the moment to estimate the number of work people who will be employed under the orders to be placed with firms. Some'of the ships are to be built in,the Royal dockyards, and the work will probably be in full swing by next spring.. .; - ■■:<■' Optimism is' expressed on the Clyde that local shipyards will benefit materially in the allocation of the programme. An order for at least one cruiser is expected, in addition to smaller craft and machinery. The output of the Clyde yards for the first nine months of 1935 was 47 vessels: aggregating -126,89 7 tons, September's contribution being five vessels (8200 tons). For the same period last year the output of the Clyde yards was -77 vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 165,096 tons. This total, it must be remembered; included the tonnage of the Cunard-Whitc Star liner Queen Mary. British naval experts do not hide their anxiety concerning the present condition of the fleet./The "wearingout" process in the cruiser squadron continues to exceed the rate of replacement, and- is unlikely to bo equalised or overtaken unless a big supplementary -progiamme is introduced. Towards 'the end of August the Calcutta, now in the Chatham Reserve Division, was overtaken by the effective age limit. During the present month the Cairo will pass ber sixteenth birthday, and a few weeks lafer the Dunedin will join her in this respect.-The position will then by that out of a total of 50 cruisers, in, which are included three belonging to the Royal Australian NaVy, 18 will be officially "worn .out," The Admiralty calculates that a minimum of 70 cruisers is necessary for the defence of tjie Empire trade route's, ami for the lighting efficiency'of the' Navy, and is ceaselessly, pressing the Government to recognise the fact.