FIGHTING SHIPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 December 1938, Page 7

FIGHTING SHIPS

BRITAIN TO LAUNCH 45 NEXT YEAR

TOTAL OF 355,705 TONS.

RECORD FOR BRITISH NAVY IN PEACE TIME.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, December 16.

The "Daily Telegraph's” naval correspondent. Hector Bywater, says that Britain in 1939 will launch 45 new warships with a total tonnage of 355.705. which is a peac time record. The launchings will consist of five battleships, three aircraft-carriers, five large cruisers, seven small cruisers, 11. destroyers, nine submarines, and five sloops, also a considerable number of auxiliary craft, including boom defence vessels, motor torpedo-boats, depot ships and tugs. The battleships, each of 35.000 tons with a speed of 30 knots, will be the largest, most strongly armoured and the fastest Britain has ever built. Each will carry 10 14-inch guns of a new and most powerful type.

The aircraft-carriers will each be 23,000 tons and the large cruisers of 8000 tons, with a speed of 33 knots. They will mount 12 six-inch guns. The smaller cruisers will be of 5450 tons, with a speed of 33 knots. Their main armament will consist of 10 5.2-inch guns, firing 14 rounds a minute.

The submarines will all be oceangoing.. The sloops are mostly escort vessels, heavily armed with anti-air-craft guns.