Britain is iting information upon German construction of aircraft-carriers before deciding upon final plans for most of the new units provided for in her current naval programme authoritative quarters said today.
Admiralty circles are now very interested in the German vessels being built at present, for it stated that the Reich is creating a fleet of speedy ships, aiming to possess vessels capable of defeating enemy craft of heavier tonnage.
There is a new German aircraft-carrier of the Corsaire type which, it is asserted, will be equipped with sixteen 6-inch and ten 4-inch guns that can be used against aeroplanes or enemy water-craft. The projected vessel will also be mounted with 22 "revolver guns" or antiaircraft machine-guns, and it will have a top speed of 32 knots despite its heavy armour plating.
New British aircraft-carriers, ae cording to present plans, would of the Ark Royal type and be armed with 16-inch and 4. i guns and would be slower and not Il protected as the German The German units, naval circles speculated today, would most probably be used on the high seas to attack merchantmen. Cruisers would not be powerful enough to attack i them, and it would be necessary to send capital-ships to drive them off—and this would disorganize the positioning of the fleet.
Admiralty services are now contemplating the construction of new units capable of checking the formidable German _aircraft-carriers.
They are waiting to know how many such ships are being' constructed before drafting their final plans? it was understood—Havas, and working hours; restriction widens of business corporations; The requisition of commodities, faciories. repair shops, land. buildings and other establishments, A Three Year Plan for the expan-the productive capacity of it is understood, will br enforced.
The Act. which places practically the entire resources and activities of Japan under Government control, was rongly resisted by the Diet when troduced in 1937.
It was passed en a promise by the Government that it would only be used sparingly in case of necessity, since war provisions had been enforced at intervals—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.