The British Royal Navy was under the 1929 Naval Estimates allowed to built 1 ‘A’-cruiser and 2-’B’ cruisers. However announced MacDonald (1) on 24 July 1929 that the building of the cruisers was not to begun before the need was discussed. The First Lord of the Admiralty (2) informed the Parliament on 29 January 1930 that the building programme was decreased. One 6”-cruiser and the 8” cruisers were deleted just like 4 destroyers, 1 net-layer and target-towing vessel, 2 sloops and 3 submarines. The fate of the other three submarines was unknown until after the Naval Conference. The 6” cruiser to be built was the HMS Leander(3), named in April 1930. Earlier was allready decided that the new to be built ‘B” cruisers would be of a smaller type, armed with 6”guns. The costs of the programmes 1928 and 1929 were in this manner officially limited with 1,000,000 pound sterling.
Notes
1. James Ramsay MacDonald (12 October 1866 Lossiemouth, Scotland-9 November 1937 North Atlantic Ocean), politician and statesman, Prime Minister in 1924 and 1929-1935.
2. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Edward Madden (5 September 1862 Gillingham, England-5 June 1935 London, England), First Sea Lord 30 July 1927-30 July 1930.
3. Pennant 75. Part of Leander-class light cruisers preceded by Emerald-class succeeded by Arethusa-class. Ordered on 18 February 1930, laid down by HMNB Devonport on 8 September 1930, launched on 24 September 1931, commissioned on 24 March 1933, loaned to Royal New Zealand Navy on 30 April 1937, returned on 27 August 1945, decommissionedin February 1948, sold to be broken up on 15 December 1949 starting on 15 January 1950.
Source
Brassey’s Naval and Shipping Annual 1931. London, England.
No comments:
Post a Comment