The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-04-01
England To StGrtLe
hoLeArnling World


A0AAA = 80 -
and fats, sugar and tea were dras-
tically rationed.
8 BattIesIiips 1t Once
No less than I'VE battleships cost
ing total Of more than $500, 900 900
viii be laid down Immediately,
which Is without parallel. Also So
new cruisers and i've aircraft car
riers are included in the program,
and smaller vessels making alto
gether 80 warships, which, added TO
the warcraft Of last years program
already under construction comes to
14S vessels.
In addition, there are the over
age craft, including 90 cruisers
which hitherto would have been
strapped under the Washington
treaties but now will be retained
"for escort and convoy duty"
Even before the expansion began,
the navy was by no means a weak
ling and the nation had spent
Sc, 900, 000, 900 on 1t since the war. 1t
was supported by far-hung naval
bases, making 1t the strongest sea
force in the world.
100 Grey Fighting Machines
At the King George v. jubilee re-
view of Portsmouth, saw grim
evidence of that strength, with 100
grey fighting machines ranged in
solid rows for miles.
Again at Alexandria, Egypt, dur
ing the Anglo-Italian tension l saw
the harbor literally crowded with
warships and flying across the
Mediterranean saw the entire
southeastern corner of the inland
sea dotted with patrolling ships.
Another impressive display Of
fighting power Is scheduled for May
20 of Spithead, when the new king
will review the home, Mediterran-
can and reserve fleets of 140 ships.
The navy already possesses in the
battleships Rodney and Nelson two
of the worlds most powerful fight
ing units, costing $35 100000 each
and carrying nine 16-inch guns.
Moreover there is the great 10000
ton Hood, besides the Repulse, re-
built at cost OF $6,500,000 and the
Renown, undergoing similar reha-
bilitation. There are ten other
capital ships.
The United States also has IS
capital ships, Japan 8, France and
Italy 4. None approach the Rodney
or Nelson.
Favors Heavy Battleships
pyifo tVnSc yocvYyp1ylfinY1 IF tho 11rn-
gram Of heavy battleships is signif-
icant in view of the long controver-
sy over whether air bombing has
rendered capital ships obsolete. APP
ropos Of the question, Hoare said in
the House Of Commons that the air
defenses of capital ships had been
SO improved that "the battle feet
is the least attractive target the en-
envy could choose"
A novel item of the naval building
program is provision for super
speed sea sleds," whose role Is to
carry few torpedoes and dash di-
rectly at the enemy until within
torpedoing distance. The late Law
renee of Arabia worked on plans
for the "sea sleds."
Plans are being made to bring the
fleet air arm, which is independent
of the army's royal flying corps, to
at least 45O planes and to push de-
velopment of the queen bee robot
pilotless plane, guided by radio from
battleshipS and designed to shower
enemy warships with explosives.
Submarine Plan Secret
The submarine program has not
yet been announced but is expected
to be heavy, in view of Frances OBJ
jective of 100 submarines and Italy's
present 81, with "a under construc-
ton. Britain has only 81 built or
building.
Britain Is Fastening her great
Singapore naval base and Hoare
announced that its completion Is In
sight. Recent maneuvers there in
which 80 war planes and $1,000 men
of the naval and land forces took
part convinced the Admiralty that
Singapore Is almost invulnerable.
Airplanes from India and Irak can
reinforce the defenSeS.
Fertilization of Cyprus in the
Mediterranean as an alternative air
base to Malta, which is vulnerable
to Italian bombers, is proceeding
apace.
No Particular Power
Questioned in commons by the
opposition regarding what standard
he is aiming at, Hoare said the ex-
pansion Is directed against no par
ticular power.
mot only can there be no rivalry
between the United States and
ourselves" he said, but / do not
believe there is going to be a race
between Germany and ourselves"
Under the Anglo-G German naval
pact, Germany agreed to confine
herself to IS per cent of all British
tonnage and As per cent of subma-
rines. incidentally, the British ex-
pansion gives Germany great leeway
to increase, which is bound to result
In repercussions from France and
Russia.