NEW WAR WEAPONS

Waikato Independent, Volume XL, Issue 3677, 7 March 1940, Page 3

NEW WAR WEAPONS

DEVELOPMENTS IN FRANCE

WORK ON MAGINOT LINE

Paris, January 10.

Reference to French experiments in new war weapons was made to-day by M. Daladier in a debate in the Chamber of Deputies which resulted in a unanimous vote for the Budget. "In the first weeks of war our fighting 'planes have proved themselves superior," said the Premier. "But progress in this arm is extremely rapid. "New and more modern machines are leaving our factories, and these new 'planes will be very redoubtable weapons for air battle. Priority in credits is therefore given to French aviation and al'so to the manufacture of certain anti-tank weapons which have revealed their power. "Credits have also been allotted for anti-aircraft defence material and for the development of certain modern weapons. Important credits are being granted for new weapons and recent inventions, the need for which will be shown on the battlefield. Experiments of the greatest intei-est are.being carried out to increase the safety of the country." Referring to the importance of the Allies' naval supremacy, M. Daladier said: "We have decided to speed up as far as possible the construction and commissioning of powerful 35,000-ton battleships, which will assure Britain and France the maintenance of the mastery of the sea." Maginot Line Extension. He stressed the need for continuing the work on fortifications during the war. "A people is stronger to resist in- ' vasion, and in diplomatic action vis-a-vis neighbouring countries, when it has armour behind which it can fight. I cannot say any more. You understand why for months all our armies have been at work. Where they are not fighting they are pouring con-

crete, making second and third lines of fortifications. "That is why these large credits are asked for. Whatever may be the fluctuations of the war, we are ready to dig ourselves firmly into our native soil." (Announcing that the Maginot for-

tifications had been completed by the fortifications in the north and those extended to the Jura Mountains, M. Daladier added: "These fortifications are not only necessary for the protection of our territory, but also for the conduct of the war."

"Nobody disputes that our war material is of a very high quality, especially for aviation," he added. "Not only American 'planes, but also French 'planes, have shown their qualities. The British, who are connoisseurs, rightly say that our Navy has covered itself with" glory. Frenchmen should be proud." 'M. Daladier spoke of the high qualities of the French anti-tank guns, of which he regretted they had not more, but undertook to fill the gaps.

Comparing the figures of French casualties so far in this war with those of the first three months of 1914, he disclosed that the French killed up to November 30 were: Army, 1136; Navy, 256; Air Force, 42; a total of 1434.

,By December, 1914,, France had suffered 45-0;000 killed and had lost the battle on the frontiers. She had won the Battle of the Marne, but had had 10 departments invaded. No Premature Offensive. This total of French losses incurred in the present war may be compared with the figure of'2loo British killed for the first three months given by Mr. Chamberlain in. a Parliamentary reply on December 14. In the first three months of the last war the total British losses were about 12,500. "The Government is opposed to premature offensives and piecemeal assaults along the whole frontier," M. Daladier continued. "We are in the first months of the war. We are conducting it methodically and logically."

He reaffirmed the complete agreement of France and Britain, especially on diplomatic action, of which he could not to-day give details. He hoped to be able to give ah" account of this action soon.

equally well; engines which generate power from the difference in heat between Polar air and water and collapsible wooden houses that can be built in six to eight hours. The roofs are black, to absorb the heat of the sun.

Igarka, on the Yenisei River, which had 43 residents in 1928 and is said to have more than 20,000 no-, boasts sawmills that cut up 1,000,000 trees in a year yet used but two per cent, of the 'surrounding timber. Russia also makes big claims for Krasnoyarsk, 104 hours east of Moscow en the Trans-Siberian Express, and centre of river steamers on the Yenisei and the North Sea route's air tleet. Town's, mines and mills have undoubtedly grown up fast in this fabulous Arctic development although no definite chart of them exists outside Russia, ; if/indeed, it exists there. Data has been ■";* meagre since the North Pole-campers were rescued in 1937, and what, little there has been has been obscured by the news of the iNazi-Soviet pact and the invasion of Finland.

There is enough information, however, to show that the exploitation of sub-polar resources is being steadily continued.