The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-03
SEc,ef WAR WEEKS FARLEY HOPEFUL OF SETTLING THE
 NAVAL PROBLEMS
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 by the delegations. Tn connection with these studies, the probability is that British and Japanese experts will ask modification of the ten-year naval holiday to permit limited amount Of naval building 10 continue,
 Divided Opinion
 There is more or less divided opin- ion among American naval men on the point and the governments ser leeted experts have not as yet been called upon to present their views as the question is not up for formal dis cussion, Some American officers felt, however, that it would be wise to permit continuous building of at least one capital ship by each power in order that the art of battleshlp building should be retained and de- veloped as the years bring develop ment in shipbuilding lines generally.
 Several ships in the proposed TO- tained fleets of each navy will be more than 20 years old and ready for replacement when the ten-year holi- day ends. It Is argued that a modi- fieation of the holiday to permit this replacement building to go on at once with one new ship always on the stocks through tie ten years mign. be possible.
 Many Obstacles
 Other officers see too many ob- stacles to such modification to warrant its adoption. It is pointed out that Japan has three ships in ad- dition to the Mutsu, now building, and the United States b., which are to be scrapped. Twelve of the Amer ican IS, however, and two of the Jap- anese are beyond the 35,000 ton capi- tai ship size limit provided. They must be scrapped In any event. That would leave the United States with the Colorado, Washington and West Virginia. all afloat and running close to 90 per cent complete, on it's hands, and Japan with the Mutsu, should that vessel finally be excluded from the retained fleet, and one other well advanced toward completion. f
 If these ships were put yin coiS storage" untilsthey could be brou9hb out to replace 20-year- old vessels of the retained fleets. it was argued there would be no value to naval en- gineering or the shipbuilding art in the modification of the ten-year holi- day plan. The work Is already done and there would be. practically, no capital shipbuilding in Japan and the United States, during the ten. year period. It Is not to be expected it was said, that either nation could and then begin building practical du- scrap these new and unused ships plicates in size in order to keep up shlpbullding.
 Different With England
 The situation is wholly different with Great Britain, from whom the agitation for a modification of the holiday comes. She has no capital ships actually under construction ana could begin replacement building at once. 1t was pointed out, on a modi- fication of the holiday plan. It would be year before actual construction work began. however. while plans were prepared for a ship within the S5,000-ton limit.
 That brings up the question In the mind of experts as to how much inn proved in type the new British ship would be as compared to the Amer ican Maryland class and the Japa- nese Mutsu class. Both the Ameri- can and Japanese ships were designed some years ago and battleship de- sign has made progress since then. E, In view of all these considerations some American officers believed a would be wiser to return to the Hughes plan of cutting off all build ing for decade. That, it was said would prevent many perplexing prob- lens from arising to plague the ex. perts In working out fair proposal to all.