THE
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. TUESDAY,
APRIL 20, 1937.
HUGE SOVIET SUBMARINE FLEET MAY BE DECIDING FACTOR IN PACIFIC WAR Institute Survey Discloses Large Concentrations Near Japan
MOST POTENTIAL
WEAPON IN THE FAR EAST
San Francisco, Apr. 10.
In the event of a Soviet-Japanese war, the former's over growing submarine fleet in Far Eastern water, would probably be the deciding factor, according to a sur- vey just completed by the Institute of Pacific Relations.
The Institute points out that while the size and significance of the Soviet's underwater weapon is not fully known, it nevertheless constitutes. next to the Russian air fleet, the most potential, spectacular and significant weapon of the Soviet Union in the Far East.
The survey of the Institute, which has covered a long period of time, places the best estimate of the number of Soviet submarines in the Far East at 145. This figure is a little more conservative than that of other authorities, who estimate that out of a total submarine flotilla of 250 units, the Soviets at the present time have a minimum of 150 boats in the Far East, while other authorities run even a still higher.
These submarines are at the pre- sent time based at Viddivostok os in also the greater portion of the Rus- sion air fleet in the Far East.
would be especially useful in close range activities near home without from being obliged to proceed far their base.
The Institute of Pacific relations Against the greatest concentration believes that the narrow and exposed of submarines which the world has sea tane which constitutes Jupan's ever seen, the Japanese, according to only line of communications between their latest official figures have only terests in Asia, and what would be her mainland, her now extensive in- a submarine tonnage of 18,200 tons the site of any conflict with Russin, or 55 vessels. Even this surpasses and which is thus constantly both the United States and Great to Russian submarines attack might Britelu as far as mere tonnage is easily prove the uneasy and fateful concerned, although both the tatter link for her in new Soviet-Japan- have a greater number of units, hay-
ese conflict as did the single track ing bull a smaller sized for defen-Trans-Siberian railway for Russia sive operations close to home.
during the Russian-Japanese war.
The Japanese too, in fact, favour at the present time smaller sub- murines of about 700 tons each which
Big Changes In U.S. Navy Construction
Washington, April 10. Revolutionary construction methods will be utilized by the navy in this country's two new battleships, naval officers have decided.
Typical of the plan to modernize every feature of the new dread- noughts, the navy is going to utilize electric welding to a large extent in- stead of old fashioned rivets to tie the steel plates together.
They expect to save a maximum of 1,000 tons weight in each ship com pared with the weight of similar ships in which riveting was used. This, they believe, will mean a correspond ing saving in the amount of steel and construction and operating costs and will assure added speed, efficiency and manoeuvrability,
The walded ship, engineers said, will be just as strong as a riveted vessel.
In any event, the Institute holds that in the exploiting of any such weakness, the decisive part would fall to the Soviet submarine fleet.
The Institute's survey finds that the probable region for such a submarine warfare in the Far East would be at the Tsushima Straits, where Japan sank the Russian flect during the Russian-Japanese war. This not only constitutes the most effective outlet to the Sea of
but. Japan,
it is also the most convenient route between
which
and
the mainland of Asia Join the former would be obliged to use in maintaining her lines of communications for the carrying of supplies and troops to any conflict in Eastern Asin.
only 650
PROTESTS ONCE MORE-Wearing a funereal expression, Dr. Hans Luther, German Ambassador, climbs the steps to the State Deportment in Washington, to protest once more that Chancellor Hitler, has been criticised. This time he referred to the recent mass meeting in New York, and Secretary full again deplored it. Counsellor Hans Thomsen at right.
Devil's Island Fugitive Hides in Jungle
Six Months Unarmed
By A CORRESPONDENT
Panama, Apr. 5.
A FUGITIVE from the dread French penal colony of Devil's Island told me to-day of his escape and his adventures, be- fore he disappeared once more into the Central American jungle in his flight from justice.
He is Rene Belbenoit, who escaped four times from French penal settle- ments in Guiana. Four times he was recaptured. Twice he was sentenced The Institule points out that the to solitary confinement on Devil's Island.
Then he made one final bid and gained his freedom. After a series of Here he is Straits of Tsushima are miles from the Soviel's submarine Incredible hardships and adventures he arrived in Panama. base at Vladivostok, a distance which lilding from the authoritles... and within a few hours he will again be could be covered in two days by, a heading for freedom. submarine e travelling on the surface at the low speed of 15 miles an hour, This dark-haired, pale-faced French- und not much under three days-irman talked to me in the corner of running submerged about half the on obscure cafe. time at 10 miles an hour.
RUSSIAN SUPERIORITY
"In 1921 I was convicted for theft In Paris and was sentenced to eight years hard labour in the French penal colony in French Gulana," he said quietly.
University Sets Out To Find The Ideal "Co-ed”.
As against these conservative esti- mates, the Institute quoies Admiral the Naval Nicholas Orlov, chief of
"In Guluna I was sei to work in forces of the U.S.S.R. as declaring
the jungle, cutting down trees. I that the type of submarines which the Soviets have developed to date, had not been there a fortnight before are "faster and able to remain sub-I made my first escape. merged longer than any other in the ESCAPED IN CANOE world."
"I got into Dulch From all information that can be bbtained it appears that the Soviet within a few days the authorities at has applied the principle of mass arrested me and sent me back to the production to submarines. The parts prison settlement. ore manufactured in the big Indus- trial centres of the Soviet Union,
per-
Guiana,
but
"A month later I escaped again. This time I was with six other convicts.
lowa City, Ja; Apr. 10. The winner of the co-ed test the University of Iown will be announced to-night, although the Judges have never seen the candi- dates or their photographs.
Duke Of Kent New Fashion Leader
London, Apr. 15.
King George VI, staid and conservative in all things, has passed Edward's mantle
of masculine style leader- ship to the youngest of the royal brothers, the Duke of Kent.
The coronation issue of "Style Guide," a handsome five shilling annual describing and illustrat ing what the correct Briton will wear, admits that no startling dress innovations may be ex- pected from George VI.
It is lasued by the publishers of "Mau-nnd His Clothes" edited by H. A. Prince, a very "posh" monthly generally credited with being the Inst word on men's styles.
"The throne has ever been a great inspiration to those whose business the editor is to create fushions," states in a foreward. "The sponsor- ing of a fashion by a member of the royal family has often been the de- ciding factor.
"One of the most noteworthy of these instances was when King Edward VII adopted the Homburg hat and the lounge suit, But for his influence, these comfortable gar- ents might have passed away into
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EDWARD'S FASHIONS
"King Edward VIII, too, both dur- ing the time he was Prince of Wales and during his brief reign, was re- sponsible for many of our fashions. During his 25 years of publle Ilfe te, perhaps more than any other, was the instrumental factor in Britain's retaining world leadership in style.
"The present King, George VI, has never been seen other than correctly dreased. His tastes are conservative -the manner in which he wears of neatness. them is the essence Even at camp in summer his shorts are properly creased, his coal cor- rectly buttoned. It is unlikely that he will be responsible for any startl ing innovations in dress.
"The Duke of Kent promises to assume the monile of siyle leader- ship. While he is rarely extreme, he has a definite flair for the unusual, For some time now the stylists, both of this country and the United States, have regarded him, with Increasing interest. The present day fashion of wearing a double-breasted dinner jacket with a soft shirt and collar is considered to have reached its present popularity in England on account of hfa well known fondness for this dress,”.
WEAR WHAT YOU PLEASE
The essence of "Style Guide" is that coronation or no coronation, a man may wear just about what he pleases, within reason and be cor rectly dressed.
In
of
In sultings the same old grays, blues and "browns are presented, with a lively green cheviot inserted to break the monotony. _Dark_gray, danc-blue-gray and blue were placed one,
two, three as favourites, with peaked lapel, double-breasted cut recommended.
Collar points are
somewhat cut
ing to take a large sailor knot of the way, and short, with a wide open- cravat. The wedding "uniform" is unchanged and the waistcoat may Thirty-five candidates for the
be gray or fawn, with gray favoured. honour have answered 23 questions The latest in silk umbrellas, a Engineers preparing plans and shipped via the Trans-Siberian rail-
in writing. The co-ed with the Briton's most essential article specifications for the new ships have way to Vindivostok, where they are
of "Ideal" taken a leaf out of the German naval being continually, assembled.
andress" has a rhinoceros-hide handle. "We stole a canoe and paddled highest per claimed the winner. Dinner Jackets are single or double constructors' book which enabled the
down to Georgetown In British wers will be
breasted, peaked or shawl lapel. German navy to launch the "pocket The Institute points out that while on The journey took us eight Here are the questions:
For the single-breasted model, a Do you favour marriage over battleship" Deutschland several years means of defence against the sub- days, but on arrival we were arres-
career?
wing collar is obligatory, and so is ago. The Deutschland was halled marine have been improved since
Do you consider appearance more an opera hat, "Style Guide" says. widely at the time as the most the world war, nevertheless the related and sent back.
"I was transferred to Charvain, important than intellectual achieve efficient aghting craft of its size and tive strength of submarines and de-
overcoats, a single-breasted, weight afloat.
Mence systema remains about the known to the convicts as the Deathment?
same as it was then.
Comp. There the prisoners have to Are you more domestically than By-front Chesterfield is favoured for town wear, although the popular They pointed out that the German "pocket battleship" was a hybrid The Institute believes the Japanese Work naked in the jungle, so that athletically inclined?
Do you favour the use of make-double-breasted coat is approved. For the Chesterfield, a black Ham- cruiser-battleship created of the would lay down, their most formid- they have little chance of escapo. I
burg is recommended. necessity of German builders staying able barrage of submarine defence did get awny-but only for 24 hours. up?.
Do you favour moderate drinking within the limitations of the Versailles in the Tsushima strails, but admit "My punishment was six months' over no drinking at all?
music to Do you prefer smooth Treaty, which set a maximum of that the World war experience de-solitary confinement on Devil's Island
even the closest itself. 10,000 tons displacement as the monstrated that
swing music?
Do you prefer conservative largest ship that might be built by barrage system cannot be
BROKE PAROLE Germany.
While remaining within imanently and continually effective,
ing to swing type? this Imitation, the German designers According to the data collected by
Would you marry for love instead sought to construct a capital ship in the Institute about 80 per cent. of
"I was put on parole, but I broke of money?
Would you marry before you ob- every sense of the word, except for the damage done by German subit at the first opportunity, stowed tonnage displacement.
morines during the world war was away on a freighter, and arrived attained your degree?
HELPING HUBBY Electric welding was used ex- the work of about 10 per cent, of the
Would you take a job to help your Daition of the occasions upon which "Style Guide" says the correct de- tenalvely throughout the ship
“But I did not have a free hour to submarines engaged. They estimate
husband if necessary? save space and weight. Amur plate therefore that the Soviets even to In my native land. I was arrested
How many children do you think it is essential to wear "toils" is "in was welded on, instead of the usual make one submarine effective out of at once and sent back for another would make an ideal family?
the evening, whenever there riveting, with the result that stream-ten
t. Waaded black or would I have to maintain the high spell on Devil's Island.
Do you believe in an extensive ladies prescht. lning was achieved, making possible technical pro
midnight blue fine barathea is the of the German proficiency of
"Once more I was technically wardrobe? more speed and greater economy of bubmacine service. This, of course, freed, and began to plon my final How many dates a week do you approved material,
The section on riding clothes ends operation.
still remains an unknown quantity,
with this paragraph: the great numerical escape. In May, 1985, I put out in think you should keep? but nevertheless,
Aro cooking and sewing among
"When riding, at all times wear a American engineers plan to utilise superiority of the Soviet aubmarine an Indian cance with five other con- electric welding to a great extent.in fleet would seem to give them
an vicis for Trinidad, but was arrested, your major interest?
hard felt or. top hat. Apart from Do you prefer a course in econo-it being one of those little niceties attaching the armourplate on the now advantage over Japon..
"I was six months in prison before mies to one in home economics?
of style which distinguish the well- battleships. Welding will be used on
The Institute has further ascer- I got away again, and set out alone Do you smoke? many interior joints and beams and
dressed from the merely dressed, it Soviets are now along the coast,
Do you read- iwo newspapers acts as a safeguard against concus probably to some extent in the frame,tained that the
"Unarmed with no quement of daily?
sion of the brain when it is inserted They hope to turn out a 35,000 ton counting on the fact that the fallure
Do you go to a beauty parlour between the rider's head and the battleship which will be the equal in to roach a decision in a For Eastern hy sort, I spent more than six months
more than once a week?
ground when descending from the performance and fighting ability of conflot would bring to a head the lathe jungle.
"Slowly I made my way up the coast incipient social, unrest in Japan In
Is your hair short?
Baddie in any impromptu manner.” any 40,000 tons ship built under old. Japan, they believe, a war would be to Colon, and a fellow-countryman Do you prefer sports wear to
Out of seven illustrations of type of construction.
popular for only the first few months cave me my fare to Panoma,
dressy
"style next to the skin"-plain clothes? "I am "Omcials said no decision had been or perhaps the first year, but no
free now," he concluded Are music and arts among your] underwear to you-no fewer than reached conceming the size of the longer, so that the Soviets, with their grimly. But one slip, and I shall be consuming talents?
five models are wool or part wool Would you like to be active in and four have sleeves. The other guns to be mounted on the new ships numerient superiority of submarines, sent back to Dovil's Island, To- but it is generally believed that the could prolong the war then, until morrow I shall leave Panama, and polltles?
two go to the other extreme, jockey main battery will be 10-inch victory would be theirs,-United within a few days I hope to be safely
Do you lose your temper upon pro-shorts: the newest style in men's United Press.
in the jungles and still free."
vocation?-United Press,
underwear," "—United Press,
.....
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