ITALIAN NAVY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1941, Page 6

ITALIAN NAVY

9 REMAINING MATERIAL STRENGTH ADMIRAL CUNNINGHAM’S ESTIMATE. FOUR OR POSSIBLY FIVE BATTLESHIPS. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, November 16. A summary of Italian naval losses was given by the Com-mander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, in. a statement to the Press at Alexandria. Speaking of battleships, Sir Andrew said that the strength of the Italians had been much reduced for a long time. Now, after repairs, Italy had four, possibly five, battleships, about the same number with which she entered the war. The number of Italian eight-inch gun cruisers had been reduced from seven to three, possibly four. Italy originally had ten to fourteen light cruisers. Most of her losses in this category probably had been replaced by new construction. Italy’s force of destroyers and tor-pedo-boats had been cut down by 35 per cent, leaving her about eighty. In submarines, Italy had lost about thirty per cent of the 120 she had at the beginning of the war. Sir Andrew Cunningham observed that although the morale of the Italian Navy had fallen, its potential strength should not be under-estimated.