The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-17

ON WARSHIP
RATIO LOOMS
Japan Wiling to Ac-
cept the ''5-5-33 3"
Naval Proposition if
Permitted to Retain
the Mustu

permitted to Retain
the Mustu
Washington, Dec. Is. = An
nouncement by the Washington
conference of agreement on the
'5-5-3" naval ratio between Great
Britain, Japan and the United
States loomed tonight as probable
! before the weekend. A plenary
session for the purpose is expected
! by some delegates.
Japan has indicated conditional
agreement to the "5-5-3" ratio. Her
acceptance was coupled, however,
with request to substitute the
new battleship Mutsu for the old
twelve-inch gun ship Setsu in the
| list Of ships she would retain
under the Hughes proposal.
The decision Of the japanese
government was communicated in
formally to Mr.. Hughes and Mr..
Balfour by Admiral Baron Kato and
was discussed today by the full
American delegation at a confer
ence attended by Assistant Secre-
tary Roosevelt. Later the "big
three" Of the naval powers, Messrs.
Hughes. Balfour and Kato, again
/ met, this time Mr.. Roosevelt, Ad-
/ mical Coontz and Rear Admiral
/ Pratt, of the general board, at
! tending the session. After this
meeting it was said that only "one
very small point" remained un-
/ settled.
It was indicated that both the
American and British groups were
opposed in a general way to chang
ing the list Of retained ships of
each power as would be neces-
stated if Japan retained the Mutsu
This opposition, however, is ex-
pected in conference circles to give
way if the japanese are insistent
In that case, it was learned, the
United States probably would retain
the battleshins Colorado and Wash
ington in place Of the Delaware
and North Dakota and the ten-year
naval holiday would Of necessity be
modified to permit Great Britain
to construct two additional ships.
The japanese proposal to retain
the Mutsu in place of the Setsu
is in line-.with the contention of
japanese naval experts during the
first discussion q OF the naval ratio
that experts Of ali nations We're
agreed that ships armed with
twelve-inch guns could not lie in
the battle line against modern
craft armed with 14-inch. 15-inch
! OR 16-inch rifles. Both the Setsu
and the Delaware and North Da-
kota are twelve-inch gun ships,
while the Mutsu and the Colorado
and Washington each carry eight
sixteen-inch rifles.
Great Britain has no battleships
OF type is far advanced as the
Mutsu and the Colorado and Wash
ington. The heaviest British naval
guns are 15-iHch. Presumably
if provision is made for two ad-
ditional British battleshipS to take
the place Of the two Oldest ships
Of the King. George V. class on
! the present retained list, vessels of
! the Mutsu type and armament
! would be added. The four super
hoods planned by the British and
to be abandoned are more than 40.-
900 tons in displacement and be-
/ e,
proposed in the American plan.
1t has been indicated that Great
Britain did not desire to carry out
any building program at this time.
Prompt British acceptance of the
American ratio proposal has been
represented to some extent as due
to this attitude. There was some
reason to believe tonight that
British opinion in the sessions Of
The big three" was being eXerted
! against any modification of the
! original American plan that would
| IN such way as to make it eX-
, pedient for Great Britain to pro-
ceed with capital ship construc-
ton.
! So far as the United States is
concerned. substitution Of the Col
orado and Washington for the
North Dakota and Delaware is re-
garded in the American group as
having certain economic advan-
tages. 1t would defer replacement
building for these two ships until
ten years after the naval holiday
ended. II would also give the fleet
three modern. hs-inch gun ships
which have very much in
creased degree Of security against
submarine attack due to huh con-
struction, for the Maryland, now
with the feet, is a sister ship to
the Colorado and Washington. The
fourth ship of the class, the West
Virginia. was launched Just after
the conference began. She is des-
tined for the scrap heap in any
case, apparently.
II the plan of substitution 70 re-
tain the Mutsu, suggested ty the
japanese, is followed, the result
would be to change the aggregate
tonnage on capital ship retained by
each power, but not the number OF
ships each retained. Il would also,
ii is assumed. provide for. substan-
tial adherence to the theory of the
"5-3-3" ratio which is understood
20 be the only basis upon when
an agreement for retention OF the
Mutsu could be reached IN the