RUSSIA'S SUBMARINE FLEET

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 55, 27 November 1937, Page 14

RUSSIA'S SUBMARINE FLEET

Largest in the World

"If Soviet Russia is as yel: comparatively weak in cruisers -and modern destrpyers with which to support the three battleships, her submarine programme has been almost without paraliel iu the annals or naval constructiou," says a special correspondent of The Scotsman. "The Soviet Government has shown a capacity for concentrating its resources on something that could bring comparatively quick and tangible results," adds the writer in The Scotsman. "The most recent figures available put this submarine fleet at 151 vessels. and a number of new submarines have, no doubt, been finisked during tke last few months. Russia thus has by iar the largesi submarine fleet in the world. At the end of last year Great Britain possessed 52 submarines, Italy c7, U.S.A. 87, JapaU 64, and Germany 32. "Of the enormous number of Russian submarines many appear to be coastal vessels of about 500 tons, and there are at least twenty-five boats of the M class which are as small as 200 tons. But. there are in the Black Sea a number of ocean-going submarine of over 1000 tons. "Russia has three, or, if the White Sea be included, four coasts to defend and four potentiai spheres of naval operation. A number of canals have, it is true, beeu built, which may allow small craft to pass between the White Sea, the Baltic, and the Black Sea, and this may be the reason why such a large number of exco^ptionally small submarines has been built. "About 50 submarines are at Vladivostock and neiglibouring ports, bosides a number of mine-layers and mine-sweepers, and there are about a dozen small gunboats on the Amur river. The Soviet plan of defence in the Far East would appear to derive from a number of interesting calculations. "In the first place, of course, it is clear that the Soviet fleet could not under any circumstahces engage the Japanese, with their nine battleships and 40 cruisers, in open action. But

it is evidently thought aeroplanes and coastal submarines could, with the a»sistance of. heavy coastal batterien, prevent any Power from making a landing iu Siberia, and that they could inflict great losses on the Japanese fleet and merchant shipping. "The Soviet Union has itself hardlyany. maritime trading interests in the Far East, and therefore no shipping to protect. "The Russian battleships are mucli bigger than the three German pocket battleships— they have twice as many heavy guns, and much better deck protection— and they are now hardly lnferior in speed. With thc eight large and fast destroyers, which are neany coinpleted, Russia will have a fleet in the Baltic more powerful ih most respects than that which Germany ha# built or is buildings "The aims of Soviet naval policy can perhaps be summed up under three heads— -the maintenance of a fleet in tbe Baltic superior to any which Germany builds ; the maintenance of a cruiser fleet in the Black Sea, which, with tbe Turkish fleet, would be a formidable f orce in. the Mediterraneau { and the concentTation of • submarines and aeroplanes^ in very large numbers for rfc be defence of tbe Far East." "Italy bas tbis year laid down no fewer tban 20 iiew submarines. All bave been begun since Decembe^" writes tbe Naval Correspondent of tbe Daily Telegrapb. "Tbey are, I leam, being. construeted witb great rapidity and are due to be completed before next summer. " According .to Figbtiug Sbips, Italy bas 88 completed submarines, and, therefore, tbe grand total built and building is 108.' "Since 1935 Italian submarine pro-. duction bas averaged oue Soat a montlu No other country bas approached thii figure. "During tbe present year 28 new 'di* stroyers bave been begun. Otbef naval construction includes a group of motoir torpedo-boats for whicb speeds of 45 to 50 knots are claimed." 11 «