Roma of the Italian Vittorio Veneto-class battleships
An item referred to the N.M. dated 30 May 1935 reporting that Turkey could no reinforce the Dardanelles defence without violating the Treaty of Lausanne.(1) Although the Soviet Union would not protest it was not believed that Turkey would accept the consequence of doing so. On the other hand the Dutch magazine stated that much was not known of what was going on in Turkey. The home waters were almost al forbidden area causing several harbours closed for foreign training ships. The coastguard was ordered to fire at once and the disastrous results of this policy were well known.(2) Further more was the policy of Italy a threat for Turkey and the building of 35.000 ton battleships by Italy a serious issue.
Notes
1. Signed on 24 July 1923 settling the conflict between the Ottoman Empire an the Allies consisting of the British Empire, France, Japan, Greece and Romania.
2. Op 14 July 1934 was one British navy officer killed when the Turkish coastguard fired on a sailing boat of the British cruiser HMS Devonshire off Samos.
3. The displacement of the Italian Littorio-class battleships consisting of the Littorio, Vittiorio Veneto, Roma and Impero was in fact much larger and varied between the 45.029 and 45.585 tons!
