Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-14

AAAACA CAAO AAuSIiCo pAOpOodl.
The Japanese governments decision
was communicated informally to Mr..
Hughes and Mr.. Balfour by Admiral
Baron Kato and was discussed Tues
day by the full American delegation at
conference attended by Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt. Later the big
Three" of the naval powers, Messrs.
Hughes, Balfour and Kate, again met.
this time Mr.. Roosevelt, Admiral
Coontz and Rear Admiral Pratt of
the general board attending the ses-
sion. After this meeting it was said
that only lone very small point" re-
manned unsettled.
Opposed to Demand
1T was indicated both the American
and British groups were opposed in
a general way to changing the list of
retained ships of each power as would
be necessitated if Japan retained the
Mutsu. This opposition, however, is
expected in conference circles to give
way if the Japanese are insistent. In
that case, it was learned, the United
States probably would retain the bat
tleships Colorado and Washington, in
place of the Delaware and North Da-
kota, and the 10-year naval holiday
would of necessity be modified to per-
nit Great Britain to construct two
additional ships.
The japanese proposal to retain the
Mufsu in place of the Setsu is in line
with the contention of the Japanese
naval experts during the first discus
sion of the naval ratio that experts of
all nations were agreed that ships
armed with 12-inch guns could not lie
in the battle line against modern craft
armed with 14-inch, 15-inch or 16-inch
rifles. The Setsu and the Delaware
and North Dakota are Pinch gun
ships. while the Mutsu and the Colo
rade and Washington each carry eight
16-inch rifles.
British May Build
Great Britain has no battleships Of
type as far advanced as the Mutsu
and the Colorado and Washington. The
heaviest British naval guns are Is
inch Presumably, if provision is
made for two additional British bat
tleships to take the place of the two
class in the present retained list, yes
sells of the Mutsu type and arma-
ment would be added. The four SUI
per-Hoods planned by the British and
to be abandoned. are more than 4O.-
GOO tons in displacement and beyond
the $4,000 tons maximum limit pre-
posed in the American plan. 1t has
been indicated Great Britain did not
desire TO carry out any building pro-
gram at this time.
Prompt British acceptance of the
American ratio proposal has been rep
resented to some extent as due to this
O. Jdn
believe Tuesday night that British
opinion in the sessions Of the big
Three" was being exerted against any
modification of the original American
plan. that would rearrange the list of
retained ships in such a way as to
make it expedient for Great Britain
to proceed with capital ships construc-
tion.
Would Benefit U. S.
So far as the United States is con-
cerned substitution of the Colorado
and Washington for the North Dakota
and Delaware is regarded in the Amer
lean group as having certain economic
advantages. 1t would defer replace
ment building of these two ships until
10 years after the naval holiday end
modern 1t-inch gun ships. which have
a very much increased degree Of se-
curity against submarine attack, due to
hull construction for the Maryland.
now with the fleet. which is sister
ship to the Colorado and Washing
ton. The fourth ship of the class. TIE
West Virginia. was launched just after
the conference began. She is destined
for the scrap heap in any case, appar-
emily.
If the plan of substitution to retain
the Mutsu is followed, the result would
be to change the aggregated tonnage
of capital ships retained by each pow
er but not the number Of ships each
retained
Soviet Troons Start