ARMED FORCES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20040, 12 September 1939, Page 16

ARMED FORCES

CONTENDING POWERS THE FIGURES REVIEWED FRANCE’S GREAT ARMY NAVIES AND AIR FLEETS Armed strength on paper has often proved an uncertain criterion ol effective strength in war, but at present it is worth while to review available recent figures of the armies, navies and air forces of the belligerents in Europe.

The following statistics of the armies engaged are taken from a table compiled last November by Major-General H. J. Reilly, Uniteo States Army:— v

Estimate of Divisions The following is a recent estimate by Major G. B. Eliot, an American writer, of the number of divisions that the belligerents could put into the field:— FIRST LINE

Air strength is notoriously difficult to gauge, because for some time Governments have ceased to divulge particulars. Major Eliot has given the following figures of probable numbers of machines five or six months ago:—

‘Maximum monthly building capacity on war basis. The News Chronicle in May placed Britain’s machines, home service only, ait a conservative figure of 1750, with a monthly output of more than 600. It stated that according to the rearmament schedule the number should be 2300 by 1940. O.her total figures given were: France, 2500: Poland, 1500; Turkey, 500; Germany, 4200, with a monthly output of 800 French production in January was stated to be 80 machines a month by the Air Minister, M. La Chambre, who estimated it would reach 200 a month by the spring. The commonly-accepted German replacement figure has been doubted in many quarters, and it should 'be noted that air armament statistics give little or no indication of whether machines are new or obsolescent. Warships of Powers Figures of naval strength are more authoritative than any others, as much information is made public in times of peace. The following may be regarded as correct to about June last: —

vessels. The British statistics do not include the very large number of auxiliary vessels which would normally be mobilised in wartime.

Trained Active Reserve France 720,000 5,300,000 British Empire 323,000 055,000 Poland 206,000 1,447,000 Turkey 132,000 529,000 1,447,000 7,931,000 Germany 750,000 3,150,000 A computation in another form was published in May by the London News Chronicle:— Regular War Army Strength France 700, ooq 6,500,000 Great Britain 185,700 1,000.000 Poland 450,000 4,000,000 Turkey 200,000 700,000 1,535,700 12,200,000 Germany .. 1,000,000 6,000,000 (or more)

Inf. Cav. Armoured Reserve France .. 32 42 2 40 Gt. Britain 4 1 2 12 Poland .. 30 5 1 30 Turkey .. 22 3 — 18 — — —— — 88 13 5 • 100 Germany 9 . 3 4 38

ReFirst placeLine Reserve ment* Gt. Britain 2,600 1,300 600 France 2,000 — 200 Poland 900 400 50 Turkey 300 — — 5,800 1,700 850 Germany . 4,000. 4,000 1,000

In Service Bldg. Proj Great Britain Capital ships .. 15 5 4 Aircraft carriers 7 5 1 Cruisers .. 04 19 4 Destroyers .. 174 24 16 Submarines .. 55 14 4 Motor torpedo boats .. 20 7 Minelayers .. 1 4 — France Battleships .. 7 3 1 Aircraft carriers 1 2 — Cruisers .. .. 19 1 2 Destroyers .. 58 12 12 Torpedo boats .. 12 — — Motor torpedo boats .... 2 4 Submarines .. 79 15* — *Or projected Turkey Battle cruisers . (old) .. . 1 Cruisers (old) .. 2 — . — Destroyers .. 4 4 — Submarines .. 5 8* — Minelayers .. — 4 — •Two building in Germany Germany Battleships .. 2* 4 Pocket battleships . 3 Aircraft carriers — 2 — Cruisers .. .. 0 9 — Destroyers .. 22 8 — Torpedo boats . 24 18 — Motor torpedo boats .. .. 20 12 , Submarines .. 57 16 —