Britain, U.S., Soviet Russia, Italy, Germany and Japan Vie for Lead: 60,000 Ton Ships?
London, Jan. 24.
RITAIN, the world's most powerful naval Power, has joined the greatest naval construction race in history to-day with the completion of plans for laying down at least 1,500,000 tons' of fighting ships during 1938.
Seven major Powers are planning construction of 43,000-ton capital ships and possibly even 60,000-ton warships, almost twice' as large as the world has ever known.
Already Britain, America and the Soviet Union are exceeding the 35,000-ton limits set by the London Naval Conference and unconfirmed reports have claimed the construction. of 43,000-ton vessels in Japan, Naval experts here predicted that eventually, unless the naval race is colonies with a fleet less modern some way" halted, the major powers than Ilaly's on completion of present would engage n'a scramble for en= construction plans, it was pointed ormous warships ranging up to 00- out Italy's necessity of protecting 000 tons and costing at least U.S. her own sea lanes to Ethiopia, how-$25,000,000. A race to build ber, was believed to offset partially strong forces of 43,000-ton vessels Is her' apparent naval supremacy over regarded as a certainty and the drive France.—United Press, for 60,000-ton warships. is expected to begin within five years unless new Leningrad Naval Base Umitations are agreed upon.
London, Jan, 26.
Britain to-day made, her bid for The diplomatic correspondent of the naval supremacy with extensive plans "Dally Herald" said to-day "that for replacement and strengthening of "Leningrad was being turned, into a her powerful Navy. antic and secret fortified naval Five ships of the George V class dockyard and arsenal baso....1t is already have. been laid down and the real reason behind the decision to five additional capital warships to oust foreign consulates—a decision be. constiticted under the 1938-30 Which the British Ambassador is building programme are expected to protesting—United Press. bring Britain's naval might above 2,000,000 tons. At the end of another France to Join, Arms Race year's construction, the British' fleet Paris, Jan. 27, Would neRde seventeen battleships Oficial notification of France's addition to the five now under tention of joining in the worldwide way, ten alreratt carriers, 60 cruisers, aval construction race, was given 200" "destroyers and more than 60 here' to-day with the announcement Mibmarines If present plans are ear that funds would be sought to provide] ried out, construction of fifty new warships in 1938 to meet Italian naval expan Britain's attitude The Naval Commission of the Britain's official attitude toward en Chamber of Deputies tas agreed aging In the worldwide race for unanimously to demand passage of a heavy. capital ships has revealed no naval credit bill to provide for the Gofini(® decision regarding desertion construction of the new warships, the London Treaty limitations.
M, Jean Renaitour, a member of the Such a decision, it is believed, has Commission, announced. been delayed pending investigation France, with only seven battleships of Yeporls of Japan's construction of and most of them ancient, would be 43,000-ton battleships. Should these at a definite disadvantage in the new reports be confirmed, it was believed European naval alignment, particular-Britain would openly begin construc ly visea-vis Italy, unless large scale tion of ships above treaty limitations. naval construction is undertaken this Naval experts also. have pointed year, naval experts here pointed out, 'Troubled conditions in the Far East ut that since the Soviet Union has announced plans for joining the con~ and Europe, it was believed, would atvuetion race, Britain probably will add weight' to the demands' of the follow suit regardless of Japan's con-Naval Commission and probably resiiuetion plans. Italy and Germany. sult in an enlarged naval construe-naval experts pointed out, probably tion programme by France in the Will begin construction of '49,000-tons, ear future—United Press.
Dattleships once the Soviet' Union's naval plans are definitely known, Britain consequently would be-foreed
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