The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 1932. UNDERWATER CRAFT

Southland Times, Issue 21821, 26 September 1932, Page 6

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 1932. UNDERWATER CRAFT

On the subject of underwater craft there is a marked difference between Mr Hoover’s disarmament reduction scheme, and the programme put forward by the British delegation on July 7.

Mr Hoover proposed: Reduction of one-third in the number and total tonnage of battleships and of submarines, no submarine to be over 1200 tons.

The British proposed: Abolition of submarines, or, failing this, limitation of size to 250 tons.

These proposals interest France, for she possesses the most powerful underwater fleet in the world and she has been building vigorously for the last eight years. She has laid down sixty-nine new submarines in eight years, nearly three times as many as Britain has built in the same period, and many of these new French vessels are ocean-going in character, of over 1300 tons and with cruising endurance of thirty days or 9000 miles. Fifteen of these large submarines are to be commissioned before the close of this year and four more will be launched. During 1932 France will have added twenty-five new units to her submarine fleet, representing an increment of not less than 24,000 tons. Her sixty-nine new submarines can be classed as follows: 1000 tons and over 24 Under 1000 tons 40

Minelayers (670 tons) 5 Of the middle-class 31 are coastal submarines averaging 560 tons. The French naval law provides for an establishment of 99,000 tons of ocean-going submarines and 30,000 tons of coastal submarines. Italy has been second only to France in building submarines. In the last seven years she has laid down fifty-four vessels, and in 1931 she put on the stocks no fewer than twenty-two, representing an aggregate of 18,000 tons. Her programme calls for an establishment of 50,000 tons. Britain, the United States and Japan on the other hand are each limited to 52,700 tons of submarine vessels. Britain’s plea is for a limitation in size so that submarines will be coastal in character and be given a defensive role; but the United States, looking across the broad expanse of the Pacific, does not wish to eliminate the ocean-going submarine, though she wishes to see the underwater fleets ' reduced. If submarines are reduced by onethird, Britain, the United States and Japan will have their fleets reduced to 35,200 tons; France will go down to 86,000 tons, and Italy to 33,400 tons. This is one of the knotty points of naval disarmament, and one which will provide the experts at the Disarmament Conference with some awkward problems, especially as the views taken of the use and value of submarines differ according to the special needs and desires of each country.