ROYAL NAVY OPENS GANGWAY TO PUBLIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18548, 23 August 1928, Page 15

ROYAL NAVY OPENS GANGWAY TO PUBLIC.

INSPECTION OF SHIPS PERMISSIBLE FOR WEEK.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.— Copyright.)

RUGBY, August 21. Portsmouth, is having what is known as * Navy Week,” during which warships arc open to the public. One of the principal features is the aircraft carrier Furious. The Furious is prominent by reason of its superstructure. Below the main deck she is an ordinary cruiser, but. above tho main deck she is a vast steel aircraft hangar of two floors, on top of which is a flying deck seventy-five feet above the water line. The aircraft are raised from the hangar to the flying deck or brought down from it by steel lifts.— British Official Wireless. The Navy again has followed the example of the Army and the Air Force in producing a special “ show ” comparable to the Aldershot tattoo and the Ilendon pageant. From August 18 to 25 visitors to Portsmouth will have a wonderful opportunity of seeing “ the Navy, whereon, under the good providence of God, the wealth, safety, and strength of the kingdom chiefly depend.” Ships of the fleet on view at Portsmouth will range from Nelson's famous flagship Victory, now restored to the appearance she presented* at Trafalgar, to the Nelson, flagship of the Atlantic Fleet, and the finest battleship ever built. She will be in dry dock, and the public will obtain as complete a view of this wonderful vessel as if she had been lifted out of the water for their i inspection. Every part of her. from truck to keelson, will be visible—her giant 16-inch guns, remarkable deck structures, and the whole of her hull. Other warships on view, .which the public will be allowed to visit, will include Renown and Repulse, the two great battle cruisers used by the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of York for their Empire tours. Benbow, the battleship which carried the flag of the late Admiral of the Fleet. Sir Dove toil Sturdee, at the battle of Jutland; Centaur, a fast cruiser, completed during the war; Amazon, one of our two fastest destroj r ers, which has a speed of forty miles an hour; and a flotilla of submarines of the " L ” class Divers will give a display and mines and torpedoes will be on view. The King visited Portsmouth on July 17 to inspect the Nelson before she went into dry dock.

NO SECRET CLAUSES IN NAVY AGREEMENT. PARIS, August 21. A semi-official communique regarding the Anglo-French naval agreement points out that certain foreign Press comments necessitate the publication of an explanatory statement. It is emphasised that the agreement is not a diplomatic act involving the signatures of plenipotentiaries, but rather the settlement of a Franco-British disagreement. The communique recapitulates the history of naval disarmament since the Washington Conference and stresses the fact that the suggestion that there are secret clauses is inaccurate, because a signed convention does not. exist. It explains that a compromise is intended to remove Anglo-French divergencies, and emphasises France’s need for small low-powered submarines to maintain communications with North and for defensively armed ligbl cruisers. Britain, on the other hand, contends that such craft when offensively armed should be subject to limitation The communique adds that the agreement is intended to serve as a basis for the settlement of the whole disarmament problem.—Australian Press Association—United Service. JAPANESE APPROVAL. TOKIO, August 22. Japan is replying approving in prin ciple of the proposals of the AngloFrench naval agreement.—Australian Press Association.