The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-06-05
UnheraIded But Tough French Navy
Ready To Blast Mussolini's Fleet
by MILTON BRONNER
NEA Service stan Correspondent

NEA SerVtce otAu NVtteoPvhNeW
London, June 6.--1f Mussolini
takes italy into the war, there Is a
big rod In pickle for him, and its
name Is the French navy.
SO much Is printed about the
strength OF the British navy and
the French army that the ordinary
reader Is likely 10 forget that the
French also have a formidable
navy. In fact, II Is fourth In the
world. exceeded only by the Ameri-
can, British, and Japanese fleets,
on paper the fleets OF France and
Italy seem nearly equal: 8 French
battleshlps against Q Italian; 2
heavy French cruisers against Z;
IL French light cruisers against IS;
So French destroyers against 3d.
40 French submarines against 81,
FRENCH EMPHASIZE
SPEED. GUN OVER
But there is something more 10 II
than mere numbers. There Is the
matter OF speed and gun power,
Two OF the finest vessels afloat
are In the French navy--the battle-
ships Dunkerque and Strasbourg.
They we're completed In 1887 and
1898, respectively and we're the
French answer TO the much Wanted
NaEi pocket battleships. They we're
created 10 outrun and outgun those
celebrated ships. They are each Of
26500 tons and mount eight 49,
inch guns and 10 5.l-inch guns,
Their turbine engines have a total
OF 100000 horsepower and propel the
vessels at 80 knots per hour.
Moreover, the French have Just
added new battleship TO their
forces-the Richelieu-- and before
the end OF the year hope 10 add her
sister vessel, the Jean Bart.
Next year two more OF the same
class, the Clemenceau and the Gas
cogne. will probably be ready. These
vessels are IS 1000 tons each, They
will be armed with eight i5-inch
guns and Is Six-inch guns
M. Campinchi, French minister OF
marine, has said that the number
OF vessels completing or under con.
struction Is well over 100, including
two i8,000-ton aircraft carriers,
three 8000-ton cruisers, 20 destroy
ers and torpedo boats and, % sub
marines.
The new French destroyerS al
ready In service are among the most
formidable ever built They all APP
proach 5000 tons and carry eight
5,5-inch guns. One OF them recently
attained speed OF 46 knots per
hour, the highest ever reached by
a boat OF this class.
20.MILE RANGE
FOR BIG GUNS
The French have always been IA.
nous for their artillery. The 49,
inch guns on the Dunkerque and
StraSbourg have q range OF about
20 miles and can fire three 1900
pound shells every minute. The 81
inch guns on these ships have a
range OF 1000 yards and can be
iisSd either against enemy ships or
airplanes, The newer destroyers,
armed with the b5.inch guns, have
extraordinary FIRE power for such
small ships. These guns are claimed
10 have o range Of $4,000 yards and
can fire 10 rounds per minute.
Like the British navy, the French
hrs already done an enormous
amount OF war work. II has escort
ed the transport OF many army d.
visions from the African empire
without the loss OF q single French
soldier. Also French soldiers have
been sent from the mother country
10 various strategic points In the
French empire. French war vessels
have shared with the British In the
Job OF guarding British troopships
across the English Channel.