World polities have tong been accustomed to the phrase "shipbuilding. race" referring to competitive efforts to build the largest navy, Dut Taly lis now given a new meaning to the phrase by the announcement that Italian ship-Yards have established a world's speed record construction in regard to the battleship Impene, 35,000 tons. Unfortunately, the message does not reveal the actual time taken to build the vessel for there are some interesting records which can be quoted in comparison. Construction of a battleship is no light task. Two or three' years. are generally allowed for these large Units and the time limit. is so long) that it is frequently stated that such a vessel Is obsolete before she is completed, but as the limit applies to all building "countries such a statement is only relative. Under the Rew British building programme, five new 35,- 000 tons battleships have been launched or will have. been - latinched. the middle next "year, and during a single day in July' three new-erttisers, the (Nigeria. the Mauritius and, the Dido, were launched. As examples of record shipbuilding H.MCS. Repulse and LEMS. Renown rank high in constructional tim economy. They were first conceived as battle:
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