FRENCH ARMADA

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 122, 19 November 1932, Page 13

FRENCH ARMADA

MANY UNDERSEA CRAFT

LEADING THE WORLD

France's submarine armada, already the most powerful in the world, is being heavily reinforced during the current year, writes Hector B^water in the London '"'Daily Telegraph." ■ . ■

Fifteen .new boats of the largest type will be commissioned shortly. Tour others of the same class are soon to be launched. ■ ■

Besides'these. ocean-going craft, many smaller undersea craft are due to hoist the Tricolour this year. Twenty have already been completed or are finishing their trials.' Fourteen more are under construction.

Finally, four mine-laying submarines are about to enter service. In all about twenty-five new submarines will have been added to the existing fleet before next January—an average of rather more than two per month: They represent an increment of not less than 24,000' tons. In the past eight years Prance has laid down 69 submarines, or nearly three times as many as have been built for the British Navy in the same period. Of this total many are oceangoing vessels of 1,380 tons, with a speed of eighteen knots and a cruising endur- , anee of 30 days, equivalent to a eon[tinuous Voyage of 9,000 miles. The other submarines comprise:— Nine of 974 tons, five minelayers of 670 tons, and 31 coastal boats, averageing 560 tons.

All these craft possess a wide radius of action.

Every new' submarine is dispatched on an endurance cruise, lasting five to six weeks, as soon as she has run her trials. In spite of the severity of this test, it is very rare for a new boat to report any defect.

Owing perhaps to congestion of work in the shipyards no new; submarines were included1 in the 1931-32 programme. Next year, however, construction is to be resumed.

The French Navy Law provides for an establishment of 99,000 tons of ocean-going and 30,000 tons of coastal submarines. At the present rate of construction this enormous undersea fleet of nearly 130,000 tons will be completed at no very distant date.

. For some years past Italy has been second only to France in the submarine building race. Fifty-four Italian boats have been laid down in the last seven years, no fewer than, twenty-two, with an aggregate of 18,000 tons, having been put on the stocks in 1931 alone.

In contrast to the eventual French total of 129,000 tons, and the Italian aggregate of 50,000 tons (which will probably be increased in the next few years), it may be pointed out .that under the London Treaty tho British Empire, the United States, and Japan are each limited to a maximum of 52,700 tons of submarine' craft.