NAVAL ARMAMENT?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 154, 2 July 1934, Page 7

NAVAL ARMAMENT?

GERMAN SEA POWER THIRD POCKET BATTLESHIP COST OF FOUR MILLIONS 13y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, Received July 1, 7.10 p.m. BERLIN, June 30. Heralded by the cheers of thou ands, Germany’s third pocket battleship, costing £4,000,000, which, although it conforms with the Versailles limitations could, it is reported, destroy much larger warships, was launched at Wilhelmshaven. It was christened the Graf Spee by the daughter of Admiral von Spce, the admiral raider. The chief of the German naval staff revealed that President von Hindenburg had decreed that the vessel should be so named. He paid a tribute to Admiral von Spec’s heroism and chivalry, and bade the commander and his crew ever to remember the legacy of 'he Falklands, and be always defenders of the Father.and’s greatness. FRANCE’S REPLY 26,000-TON BATTLE SHIP. ALSO TWO SUBMARINES. Received July 1, 6.20 p.m. PARIS, June 30. The Chamber of 'Deputies, by 42c votes to 120, authorised the laying down before the year ended of a 26,000-ton battleship-destroyer, and one first-class and one second-class submarine, which is the 1934 section of the naval programme. AL peit’ri and other speakers emphasised that the battleship was not a reply to the new Italian battleship, but to the German pocket battleships, oi which Germany will have four by 1937, giving her definite superiority over France. It was added that the 30,000 tons of new construction was less than France’s average annual building, whereas other nations were speeding up construction. France’s tonnage was 50 per cent, higher in 1914 than now, and her naval expenditure was at present lower. France’s position made a strong navy essential.