POCKET BATTLESHIP

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1928, Page 6

POCKET BATTLESHIP

MOST REMARKABLE AFLOAT,

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

LONDON, Dec. 28.

A complete description from official sources of the German mystery ship (so-called pocket battleship) is now first published in. the “Daily Telegraphl,” which says: The new ten thousand ton ship laid down at Kiel will he the most remarkable warship afloat. No other will have such a large cruising radius at high speed. She will carry enough fuel oil to drive the ship ten thousand nautical miles at a speed of twenty knots, and could probably at a lower Speed cruise from Germany to China on one load of fuel. The Ersatzpreussen, as she is provisionally designated, though probably she will bo named eventually after Von Seheer, will be driven at a speed of 2G knots. by twin sets of diesel motors, developing 50,000 horsepower. The German battleship’s estimated cost is four millions sterling, due to its superfine qualify throughout. '1 hree similar ships will follow. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 28.

The last of these engines building, the Nureimburg is of novel design, whereanent there is is the strictest secrecy. ,A known feature is ihe extraordinary lightness thereof, a weight of 550 tons: also in the construction of the hull b.v the use of supergrade steel, and the adoption of electric welding, instead of rivets. Its formidable armament includes six eleveninch guns, >firing 6701 b projectiles at a range of thirty thousand yards.

It is evident the Ersntzpreussen has not been built for service only in the Baltic and North Sea. A great cruising radius, in Germany’s absence of oversea bases constitutes an important strategical advantage, because it will be fast enough to escape any capital ship except a battle cruiser and is strong enough to overpower any type of warship below the Dreadnought standard.