ITALIAN PLANS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 84, 8 April 1936, Page 7

ITALIAN PLANS

BIG NAVAL PROGRAMME CONTROL OF SOUTH-EAST MEDITERRANEAN Received April 7, 10 .50 p.m. LONDON, April 7. The Telegraph’s naval correspondent says that Italy is planning a big naval programme immediately the Abyssinian war is over, aiming at absolute control of the south-eastern Atediterranean and the highway eastward. The programme includes the rapid completion of the two 35,000-ton battle cruisers, Vittorio Venito and Littorio, the construction of more cruisers, de stroyers and submarines, additional naval aircraft, new fortified bases and aerodromes in Sardinia, Sicily, Libya and Eritrea. Exercises to test the practicability’ of blocking the Mediterranean route between southern Italy and Africa already have been carried out. The French naval bases at Bizerta and Tunis are not regarded as serious obstacles to Italy’s new ambition, as it is claimed that they could be rendered untenable by an overpowering air offensive. Both are less than an hour’s flight from Italian aerodromes. Malta, which is only 65 miles from Sicily, could, it is claimed, be similarly neutralised. There are at present 400 Italian aircraft in Sicily and Sardinia. Italian spokesmen declare that the new policy is purely’ defensive but any power attacking Italv might have to reckon with the total stoppage of its eastern trade.