ITALY’S NAVY

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1931, Page 5

ITALY’S NAVY

LARGE DEVELOPMENT. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON. January 12. The “Daily Telegraph’s” naval contributor says :Italy s naval building confirms the idea that she is aiming at supremacy of the Mediterranean rather than at parity with France. Practically every shipyard is working on naval contracts, and further huge orders have just been placed. Italy last year launched seven cruisers against one hundred by France. Sixteen warships were launched djiring the year, and an ordei for twenty-two submarines lias just been placed, the largest order ioi these craft by any Power since the war. The Governments and private arsenal.-, are working at high pressure to supply its armaments, munitions and equipment. The correspondent adds:-—Such seen es of activity in naval armament centres are unparalleled in peace time. The reporter on the Naval Budget, recently declared that Italy leads the world in naval technique. Her wu’ ships afe designed more efficiently, fiitilt more rapidly, and achieve higher speeds than those of other powers. Ce~toliily there is no deifying the pheln menal development in Italian naval power since the war.