NAVAL TONNAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1938, Page 6

NAVAL TONNAGE

GERMANY AND SUBMARINES

MOVE CAUSES SOME UNEASINESS.

ACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH TREATY.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received This Day, 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, December 30.

The Australian Associated Press correspondent says that although it is claimed that the move is not as serious as it appears on the surface, the German announcement Of an intention to exercise the right under the London naval treaties of 1935 and 1937 to build a tonnage of submarines equal to the total of British submarine tonnage has caused uneasiness, it is recalled that the inclusion of these rights in the first agreement wasnnuch criticised at the time of signing it. It was regarded as the, price payable for an otherwise satisfactory treaty. Germany has acted in strict accordance with the treaty by advising her intentions within the time-limit.

The. first and most important claim concerns the right of submarine tonnage equal to instead of 45 per cent of the total of British submarine tonnage. An important provision of the treaty which is unrevocable, is that the total German tonnage in all classes must not exceed 35 per cent of the British. Therefore, if Germany is building more submarines she must cut down other categories. It is believed that Germany will require to devote 45,000 lons to submarines to enable her to equal the present British tonnage, which is about 70,000, represent an increase of 20.000 tons over that existing at the time the treaty was signed. The estimated number of submarines owned by the principal powers at present is: Russia 150; United States 84; France 75; Italy 74; Japan 57; United Kingdom 43; Germany 17 large and 24 small. The second German claim concerns a restriction under the agreement of 1937 regarding .cruisers, with a maximum displacement of ten thousand tons and a maximum armament of eight inches. Germany is restricted to three such cruisers, unless Russia built over five.