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(THIS DOCUMENT IS TEE PROPERTY OE HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY^ GOVERNMENT).

R J : C R E T.

OtP-. 103 ( 5 6 ) . COPY NO. 4&

C A B I N E T .

PROGRAMME OF NEW CONSTRUCTION PGR 1956.

Memorandum, byptp.e F i r s t Lord of the ^Admira l ty .

The f o l l o w i n g i s the New C o n s t r u c t i o n Programme which

I ash the Cab ine t to approve for i n c l u s i o n i n the Navy

E s t i m a t e s f o r 1 9 3 6 : ­

2 C a p i t a l Sh ip s 5 C r u i s e r s 9 D e s t r o y e r s 4 Submar ines 1 A i r c r a f t C a r r i e r 6 S loops A number of s m a l l c r a f t v i z : ­

1 R i v e r Gunboat 1 T r aw l e r 2 Motor Minesweepers 2 Sma l l S u r v e y i n g v e s s e l s 5 Boom Defence V e s s e l s 2 S p e c i a l S e r v i c e V e s s e l s 6 C o a s t a l Motor Boats

( i n f u t u r e to be c a l l e d Motor Torpedo B o a t s )

3 Tugs

2 . This Programme has been fo rmu la t ed i n the l i g h t of

the enqu i r y of the Sub-Committee on Defence Requirements

and p rov ide s f o r : ­

( a ) Commencement of r ep l a cement of the B a t t l e F l e e t .

(b ) An i n c r e a s e i n the r a t e of r e p l a c i n g o ld C r u i s e r s , i

C a p i t a l S h i p s .

3 . With the e x p i r y of the London Naval T r e a t y 1930, on

the 3 1 s t December, 1936 , we a r e f r e e i n 1937 to b e g i n the

r ep l acement of the B a t t l e F l e e t ,

4 . I t i s t h e r e f o r e proposed to i n c l u d e 2 C a p i t a l Sh ip s

i n the 1935 Programme and l a y them down e a r l y i n 1937.

C r u i s e r s .

5. Under the London Naval T r e a t y 1930, we have

a v a i l a b l e fo r 1934, 1935 and 1956, 86 ,350 tons of 6"

C r u i s e r tonnage . Of t h i s the 1934 Programme absorbed

32 ,050 tons and the 1935 Programme 27 ,300 t o n s , l e a v i n g

27 ,000 tons which may be l a i d down i n 1936. The 1936

Programme, however, need not be l i m i t e d to t h i s f i g u r e

s i n c e i t can i n c l u d e s h i p s to be l a i d down on or a f t e r

the 1 s t J a n u a r y , 1937, when the r e s t r i c t i o n s of the London

Naval T r e a t y w i l l no l o n g e r be i n f o r c e ,

6, Our aim i s to r e ach by 1942 a t o t a l of 70 c r u i s e r s

i n c l u d i n g 10 o v e r - a g e , and i n order to a c h i e v e t h i s i t

i s n e c e s s a r y to i n c l u d e 5 i n the 1956 Programme.

7. To meet the J apane se programme i n s i m i l a r l a r g e

c r u i s e r s , we need 10 6 ! l c r u i s e r s of the SOUTHAMPTON c l a s s ;

8 of t h e s e a r e a l r e a d y p r o v i d e d f o r , and i t i s a c c o r d i n g l y

proposed, to i n c l u d e the r ema in ing 2 i n the 1936 Programme.

8. The 3 o the r C r u i s e r s w i l l be of a much s m a l l e r

type (p robab l y about 5 ,000 t o n s ) which i s i n t e n d e d for

work w i th the main F l e e t a s opposed to Trade p r o t e c t i o n

d u t i e s .

D es -c royers .

9 . Under the London Na a v a l T r e a t y 1930, we have

a v a i l a b l e f o r L e a d e r s and. D e s t r o y e r s i n 193,0 and 1936

a t o t a l of about 51 ,000 t o n s .

10 . The 1935 Programme, o r i g i n a l l y approved apt by Progr a s

the Cab ine t , i n c l u d e d a normal F l o t i l l a of a Leader and

8 D e s t r o y e r s , which absorbs 12 ,250 tons . i t was s u b s e q u e n t l y d.ecid.ed, f o r the r e a sons s t a t e d i n C P . 4 2 ( 3 5 ) ,

to s u b s t i t u t e fo r t h i s F l o t i l l a one of 7 L e a d e r s , w i th

a t o t a l tonnage of 12 , 810 tons The number was k e p t to

7 i n order to avoid, any s u b s t a n t i a l i n c r e a s e of c o s t .

E v e n t u a l l y , for r e a s o n s s t a t e d i n C P . 1 9 3 ( 3 5 ) , i t was

d ec i d ed to i n c l u d e bo th F l o t i l l a s , which w i l l absorb

about 25 , 510 t o n s .

1 1 0 Our aim i s to p o s s e s s 12 unde r - a ge and 4

o v e r - a g e F l o t i l l a s . "When the 1955 Programme i s completed ,

we s h a l l have 10 F l o t i l l a s of pos t -wa r d e s i g n .

12. We propose i n 1935 to l a y down a f l o t i l l a of

9 v e s s e l s s i m i l a r to the Leade r s added to the 1935

Programme, which w i l l absorb about 16 , 650 tons of the

26 ,690 tons r ema in ing to us under the 1930 T r e a t y , and.

w i l l g i v e us two F l o t i l l a s of 8 such v e s s e l s each .

I t ha s been approved t h a t a l l these v e s s e l s s h a l l be

g i v en names of t r i b e s ( e . g. NUB I AIT) and known a s T r i b a l

01a s s L e s t r o ye rs*

Submar ines ,

13. Under the London Naval T r e a t y 1930,,we have

a v a i l a b l e fo r 1954, 1955 and 1936 a t o t a l of 10 ,486 t o n s .

Of t h i s , the 1934 Programme has absorbed. 2 ,860 tons and

the 1935 Prograimie 3,, 200 t o n s , a t o t a l of 6 ,060 tons .

Th i s l e a v e s about 4 ,400 tons which may be l a i d down

b e f o r e 3 1 s t December, 1935.

14. The m i n e l a y e r submarine which i t i s proposed

to i n c l u d e w i l l b r i n g the t o t a l number of t h i s t ype to

6, the number which we r e q u i r e . The p a t r o l submar ine

w i l l be a second v e s s e l of the 1,000 tons f T ' t y p e , which

w i l l p robab l y "be the s t a n d a r d p a t r o l submarine f o r some

y e a r s to come. The r ema in ing 2 submar ines w i l l be of

a new sma l l type of about 500 tons i n t ended to r e p l a c e

the ' H' c l a s s v e s s e l s , which were completed in 1919-20 .

These 4 v e s s e l s w i l l absorb about 3 ,600 tons of the 4 , 4 0 0

tons a v a i l a b l e .

A i r c r a f t C a r r i e r .

15. The A i r c r a f t C a r r i e r proposed may be o f l e s s

tonnage than the maximum (23 ,000 t o n s ) a l l owed by the

London Naval T r e a t y 1936, but the d e s i g n i s s t i l l

und.er c o n s i d e r a t i o n .

S loops .

16. The 6 s l oops comprise 5 Sloop Minesweepers ,

2 Convoy S l o o p s , and a C o a s t a l S loop. The 3 Sloop

Minesweepers a r e n e c e s s a r y as an i n s t a l m e n t of a

programme f o r r e p l a c i n g the Twin Screw minesweepers

c o n s t r u c t e d du r ing the war, be fore t h e i r l i v e s e x p i r e .

17. Convoy S loops w i l l be ussd. i n war t ime for

e s c o r t i n g Merchant s h i p s i n eonvby, but can be employed

in peace on the same d u t i e s as the s t a n d a r d " P a t r o l " S loops

and a l s o , when s p e c i a l l y f i t t e d , a s s u r v e y i n g s h i p s .

We r e q u i r e some 10 v e s s e l s of t h i s t y p e , and the 2 whicih

'3 "* "

A ( ml i t i s proposed to i n c l u d e in the 1936 Programme w i l l

b r i n g the t o t a l b u i l t and b u i l d i n g up to 5.. I t i s

proposed, i n f u t u r e , to c l a s s i f y t h e s e v e s s e l s a s

"Convoy E s c o r t s " .

18. The C o a s t a l Sloop and one Trawler ( i n c l u d e d

under

F i s h e r y P r o t e c t i o n

Smal l

Smal l v e s s e l s ) a r e r e q u i r e d to

v e s s e l s .

v e s s e l s .

r e p l a c e o ld

19. The R i v e r Gunboat r e p r e s e n t s the f i r s t

i n s t a l m e n t of a programme for the n e c e s s a r y r e p l a c e ­

ment of the 11 o ld R ive r Gunboats i n China.

20. The r e c e n t purchase of 20 T r a w l e r s f o r a n t i ­

submarine and minesweeping d u t i e s makes i t u n n e c e s s a r y

to cont inue the rep lacement programme of 2 T r aw l e r s a

y e a r begun i n 1935 f o r t h e s e p u r p o s e s , but one Trawler

r e q u i r e s to be b u i l t for F i s h e r i n g P . ro tec t ion p u r p o s e s ,

a s e x p l a i n e d i n pa r ag r aph 19.

21 . The f u n c t i o n of the proposed 2 Motor Minesweepers

which w i l l be wooden v e s s e l s of l i f e b o a t t ype i s t h a t of

a u x i l i a r y m inesweepe r s , a l a r g e number of which would be

r e q u i r e d i n war . A l a r g e p r o p o r t i o n of the v e s s e l s

which would be h i r e d or r e q u i s i t i o n e d would n e c e s s a r i l y

be o l d or l a c k i n g i n speed, and i t i s t h e r e f o r e d e s i r a b l e

to a c q u i r e a number of v e s s e l s s p e c i a l l y d e s i g n e d for the

purpose , which cou ld be r a p i d l y produced i n an emergency.

22. The 2 sma l l Survey ing S h i p s a r e i n t ended to

r e p l a c e 2 v e s s e l s whose h u l l l i v e s w i l l e x p i r e i n 1938.

1 of them w i l l be so c o n s t r u c t e d a s to be s u i t a b l e fo r

employment a s a s loop minesweeper in t ime of war .

*S /* a i w

23 . The p o l i c y h i t h e r t o i n r e g a r d to Boom Defence

V e s s e l s has been to b u i l d 2 Gate v e s s e l s and 1 Boom

Working v e s s e l a y e a r , bu t i n v i e w of the a c c e l e r a t i o n

of the Naval D e f i c i e n c y Programme i t i s n e c e s s a r y , i n

o rde r to keep s t e p wi th the p r o v i s i o n of boom m a t e r i a l ,

to bu i ld . 3 Gate v e s s e l s a y e a r and 3 Boom Working v e s s e l s

i n two y e a r s , and the p r e s e n t p r o p o s a l s i n r e g a r d to

t h e s e c r a f t a r e made on t h a t b a s i s ,

24 . One S p e c i a l S e r v i c e V e s s e l i s r e q u i r e d a s a t ende r

to H.M.S. VERNQN, the Torpedo School a t Portsmouth and

the o t h e r , f o r l a y i n g i n d i c a t o r l o o p s , i s an e s s e n t i a l

p a r t of our p r e p a r a t i o n s , i f we a r e to have i t i n our

power to e s t a b l i s h a Mobile n a v a l base to meet immediate

s t r a t e g i c a l needs i n case of emergency .

25 , Coa s t a l motor b o a t s are s m a l l v e r y f a s t v e s s e l s of

g r e a t v a l u e i n making or r e p e l l i n g r a i d s i n r e s t r i c t e d

w a t e r s such a s the M e d i t e r r a n e a n . S i x b o a t s were o rde r ed

a s an a d d i t i o n to the 1955 New Cons t ruc t i on programme, and

i t i s d e s i r e d to o b t a i n s i x more a s e a r l y a s p o s s i b l e i n

the new f i n a n c i a l y e a r . I t i s proposed i n f u t u r e to

c a l l these v e s s e l s Motor Torpedo B o a t s .

26 . A f i n a n c i a l s t a t e m e n t , shewing the t o t a l e s t i m a t e d

c o s t of the Programme and the p r o b a b l e spread of the

e x p e n d i t u r e over the f i n a n c i a l y e a r s a f f e c t e d , i s appended.

( I n i t i a l l e d ) M.

A d m i r a l t y ,

7th A p r i l , 1936 .

N R O G - E A M M E 1 9 3 6.

B a t t l e s h i p s . 1"Improved SOUTHAMPTON' C r u i s e r s .

Small C r u i s e r s .

) Tr iba l C l a s s D e s t r o y e r s .

L A i r c r a f t C a r r i e r .

L Minelayer Submarine.

1 Fatrt-1 Submarine.

B 'E' Glass Submar ines .

Sloop Minesweepers (Dockyard) ' .

" " ( C o n t r a c t ) .

Convoy E s c o r t s .

Coastal S loop.

Small Survey ing Ships;.

H i Large R ive r Gunboat.

5 Motor Torpedo Boa t s .

1S .S . Veos&l ( i n d i c a t o r loop L a y e r )

I S.S. V e s s e l (Tendler to YERNON) .

5 Boom Defence V e o s e l s .

2 Motor Minesweepers .

L Large Trawler .

5 Tugs,

toali C r a f t .

NOTE:

1926. 1937. 1938.

755:, 5CG 5 ,100 ,000 5, COO,000

515 ,000 I , 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 1 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0

5, 600 975 ,000 1 , 275 ,000

1 , 092 , 400 2,800,GOO 1 ,237 ,600

700 , 000 1 , 500 ,000

64 ,200 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 145 ,800

52,L50 180 ,000 127 ,950

4 7 , 9 5 0 200 , 000 1 1 2 , 0 5 0

98 ,000 120 ,000 22 ,000

31 ,150 80 ,800 8 ,850

15 ,000 220 ,000 205 ,000

1 , 000 80 ,000 24 ,000

35 ,300 150 ,000 94 ,700

1C,700 64 ,300

124 ,400 25 ,600

80 ,000 10 ,000 8,000 12 ,000

25 ,000 8,7, 500 12 ,000 28 ,000 17 ,000 13 ,000

212 ,000 58 ,000 95 ,000 158 ,950 4 ,000

5,. 139, 000 13 ,043 ,900 1 1 , 4 4 4 , 4 5 0

These f i g u r e s t ake no account of an q

cut and exc lude p r o v i s i o n fo r cn-cosj

N E W RO G R A M M E 6.

1955. ! 1 937. 1 9 3 8 . 1933. 1946. TOTAL. i

7* S 5 y 5 0 0

jj : ' ! 5,0 00 ,000 5 , 000 ,000 4, 000 ,000 1 , 234 , 500 1.6,000,000

C r u i s e r s . 515? 8GG 1 ,800 ,000 1 , 500 ,000 884 ,200 4 , 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 5 ,600 975 ,000 1 , 275 , 000 i 399 ,400 3 , 2 5 5 , 0 0 0

1 , 0 9 2 , 4 0 0 j 2 , 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 1 , 237 ,600 I 5 , 130 , 000

700 ,000 1 , 500 ,000 I

1 ,300 ,000 300 ,000 3 , 8 0 0 , 0 0 0

64 ,200 200 ,000 145 ,800 410 , 000

52 ,150 180 ,000 127 ,950 360 ,000

47 , 950 200 ,000 112 ,050 360 ,000

c h y a r d ) . 98 ,000 120 ,000 22 ,000 240 ,000

51 ,150 80,GOO 8,850 120 ,000

15 ,000 2 2 0 , 0 0 0 203 ,000 4 4 0 , 0 0 0

1 , 000 8 0 , 0 0 0 24 ,000 105 ,000

55 ,300 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 9 4 , 7 0 0 230 ,000

10 ,700 6 4 , 5 0 0 75 ,000

124 ,400 2 5 , 6 0 0 150 , 000

Eoop Laye r ) 10,COO 80 ,000 90,COC

YEENON). 8 , 0 0 0 20 ,000

- 25 ,000 87 ,500 11.2, 500

28 ,000 12 ,000 - 4 0 , 0 0 0

15,COO 17 ,000 30 ,000 58 ,000 212 ,000 - 270 ,000

158 ,950 95 ,000 4 ,000 257 ,350

-J

, .139,000 i , 043, 900 444 ,450 7 , 183 , 600 1 ,534 ,500

NOTE;: These f i g u r e s talce no aacoiurt of an overhead

cu t and exc lude p r o v i s i o n f o r c n - c o s t s .