Italy started building of 35.000 tons battleships Littorio and Vittorio Veneto according to the Dutch newspaper The nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië dated 23 October 1934

Roma of the Italian Littorio-class-battleships

British battle cruiser HMS Hood

Drawing made by G.J. Frans Naerebout and published in Op de Lange Deining written by G.A.J. Bovens

Italian Conte di Cavour-class battleships

Italian Andrea Doria-class battleships

An item dated Rome, Italy 20th reported that on 28th October 20-35.000 tons battleships were to be laid down for the Italian navy, one at Triest and the other one at Sestri near Genoa. This tonnage was the maximum Italy was to be built under the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty. According to the item were they also world’s largest battleships except for the British 42.000 ton battle cruiser HMS Hood (1). At that moment possessed Italy 4 battleships (2) all dating from before the First World War although since then modernized. Building costs 16.500.000 pond sterling. The new battleships were to be named Littorio and Vittorio Veneto.(3)

Notes
1. Building ordered on 7 April 1916, laid down by John Brown&Company, Clydebank, Scotland on 1 September 196, launched on 22 August 1918, commissioned on 15 May 1920 and sunk by the German battleship Bismarck on 24 May 1941 in the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Displacement 47.430 tons (deep load).
2. The Conte do Cavour 1910), Guilio Cesare (1910), Andrea Doria (1912) and Caio Duilio (1912).
3. The Littorio-class battleships finally consisted of the Littorio (renamed Italia in 1943), Vittorio Veneto, Roma and Impero (never completed) with a displacement varying between 45.028 and 45.485 tons and a main armament of 3x3-38,1cm/15” L/50 guns.