The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-12-14
"5-5-3" NAVAL
PLAN APPROVAL.
NEAR BY JAPAN
Only One Small Point Said To
Remain to be Settled For
81 Naval Holiday
CONDITIO41ALLY ACCEPTS
Japan Wants to Retain Battle.
ship Of Modern Type, Bring
ing Protest

ing Protest
Washington, Dec. l4.-(By the Asso-
ciated Press. Settlement Of lone
very small point" was said to remain
as the only condition to Japan's final
acceptance Of the American 1858"
naval ratio as the naval "big three
Of the armament conference prepared
to hold another meeting to consider
the matter.
Japans conditional acceptance was
communicated by Admiral Baron Kato
informally last night to Mr.. Hughes
and Mr.. Balfour. 1t was coupled with
a request, however, to substitute the
new battleship Matsu for one Of the
old 12-inch gun ships specified for re-
tention under the Hughes proposal.
Both the American and British
groups, it was indicated, are opposed
to Japans retention of Matsu or any
change in the ship specified to be re-
tanned. They are expected to yield
however, if the Japanese are insist
ent although only on the counter-pro-
posal that the United States on its
part retain two new substitute battle
ships otherwise to be scrapped and
that the ten-year holiday be modified
to give Great Britain opportunity to
build two ships in any arrangement
agreed upon to provide substantial
adherence to the 1858" ratio.
Japan indicated last night condi-
tional agreement to the "5-5-3" ratio.
Her acceptance was coupled, however,
with a request to substitute the new
battleship Mutsu for the old 12-inch
gunship Setsu in the list Of ships she
would retain under the Hughes pro-
posal.
The Japanese governments deci-j
sion was communicated informally to
Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Balfour by Adj
miral Baron Kato and was discussed
today by the full American delega-
ton at a conference attended by AS
sistant Secretary Roosevelt. Later
the big three" Of the naval powers.
Messrs. Hughes, Balfour and Kato,
again met this time Mr. Roosevelt,
Admiral Coontz and Rear Admiral
Platte Of the general board attending
the session. After this meeting It
was stated that only zone very small
point remained unsettled. --.
It was indicated that both the
American and British groups were op-
posed in a general way to changing
the list OF retained ships Of each pow
er but would be necessitated to do so
If Japan retained the Mutsu. This
opncsition. however, is expected in
conference circles to give way if the
Japanese are insistent In that case,
it was learned the United States prob
ably would retain the battleships
Colorado and WASHINGTON. in place of
the Delaware and North Dakota and
the 1O-vear naval holiday would of
necessitv be modified to permit Great
britain to construct two additional
ships.
British Oppose Notifications.
The Japanese proposal to retain the
Mutsu 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 Pinch guns could not
lie in the battle line against modern
craft armed with 14-inch, 15-inch or
16-inch rifles The Setsu and Della
ware and North Dakota are 12-inch
gun ships while the Mutsu and the
Colorado and Washington each carry
eight 16-inch rifles.
Great Britain has no battleships
Of type as far advanced as the Nut
su and the Colorado and Washington
The heaviest British naval guns are
15-inch, Presumably, if provision is
made for two additional British bat
tleships to take the place Of the two
Oldest ships of 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 tc
be abandoned, are more than 4O,0Ot
tons in displacement and beyond the
$4,000 tons maximum limit proposed
in the American plan. 1t has been in
dicated Great Britain did not desire
to carry out any building program al
this time.
Prompt British acceptance of the
American ratio proposal has beer
represented to some extent as due t
this attitude. There was some rea
son to believe tonight that British
opinion in the sessions of the Obi,
three" was being exerted against an.
modification Of the original American
plan that would rearrange the list o
retained ships in such a way as t
make it expedient for Great Britain
to proceed with capital ships con
structiOn.
HOTEL FOR AUCTION.
London. Dec. 14.-The First Avenu