ITALIAN NAVY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3812, 23 September 1936, Page 6

ITALIAN NAVY

BUILDING OF NEW SHIPS. The largest of the powerful ships now being built for the Italian navy are the 35,000-ton sister battleships Littorio and Vittorio Veneto, which are to be launched within the next six months. This information has been disclosed by the naval correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph, Mr. H. C. Bywater. Except in the calibre of their main armament they will, it is claimed, outclass all other battleships in existence, including the British Nelson and Rodney. The Littorio is 1100 tons larger than H.M.S. Rodney, the greatest battleship now afloat, and will be armed with nine 15-inch guns, as against nine 16-inch guns in the British ship. But the Italian 15-inch gun is a brand-new model, which is claimed to be fully equal in range to the heavier gun, besides having a higher rate of fire. Twelve six-inch guns form the secondary battery, as in the Rodney, but the Italian ship’s anti-aircraft armament is far superior, consisting of 12 3-5 inch and 20 machine guns, mostly of the pompom type. Four seaplanes are to be carried. The Littorio and her sister will have a speed of well over 30 knots, whereas the Rodney’s maximum is 23. Anothei' striking feature is the immense radius of action, stated to be 15,000 miles. Armour, anti-air-craft and under-water protection are described as “the last word.” According to Admiral Cavagnari, the Deputy Minister of Marine, the new ships “represent to-day and for a long period the most powerful ships in the world.”

The only British vessel which can be compared with th’e Littorio in speed and fighting power is H.M.S. Hood, 42,100 tons, which was launched 18 years ago. Of equal or greater technical interest are Italy’s new “rejuvenated” battleships Conte di Cavour and Giulio Cesare, which are shortly to be commissioned. As originally completed in 1914-15 they were twin vessels of 21,604 tons, with machinery of 31,000 horse-power, a speed of 22 knots, and a main armament of 13 12-inch guns. They have now been entirely rebuilt, and in their new guise are much more powerful than before.

New machinery of 75,000 horsepower has been installed, raising the speed to 27 knots. The new armament consists of 19 12.8 or 13-inch guns in two triple and two double turrets. An auxiliary battery of 12 4.7-inch, eight 3.9-inch and 20 heavy machine guns is mounted, all these guns being capable of anti-aircraft firing. Both ships have been completely re-armoured against gunfire and bombs and equipped with antitorpedo protection.

As soon as they are completed they will replace the new battleships Andrea Doria and Caio Duilo, which will then be taken in hand for similar reconstruction. Eventually, therefore, Italy will possess six battleships with speeds of 27 to 30 knots, constituting the fastest battle squadron in existence.