Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-16

this change was made TO meet the Brit
ish practice of equipping capital ships
with anti-submarine coat "blisters."
These outside air compartments along
the ships hull add to the ships weight
1t is understood also that Great Brit
aims election of the two new battle
ship Program was the last step neces-
sary in reaching the three power. uu-
derstanding. The alternative was Brit
ish construction Of two 40 900 ton SUI
per Hoods. a type of vessel not exist
ing and which neither American nor
japanese naval opinion favored.
Great stress was laid by official
spokesmen on the fact that confereee
had met thruout the negotiations in
the most concilistory spirit and had
exhibited every desire to deal fairly
with each other.
. Realization by American and British
officials OF the strong element of ma
tioual pride which prompted Japan to
ask retention Of the Mutsu was said
to have gone a long way toward the
successful negotiation of the under
standing. 1t was plainly indicated that
the American, Brush and Japanese
members of the committee OF fifteen
were strongly hopeful that similar
spirit of accommodation and under
standing would be rnc9untercd in
thresl,ins out the i,,accs of France and
Italy.
Tho agreement was made public In
an announcement to the subcommittee
on naval armament which said: "Jhs
following are points of argeement that
rave, been reached in the course OF tLs
'negotiations between the United States
Great Britain and Japan with respect
to their capital fighting ships.
Asreement has been reached be.
tween the three powers-the United
States, the British Empire and Jspsn.
on the subject Of naval ratio. The pro
possl of the American government that
the ratio should bo S-5-5 Is accepted.
1t is agreed that with respect to forti-
fications and naval bases in the Pacific
region. including Hong Kong the status
quo shall be msints,ned, that is that
there shall be no increase in these fort
ircations and naval bases except that
this restriction shall not apply to. the
Hawaiian Islands. Australia, New Zes-
land and the islands composing Japan
proper. or of course to the coaSts Of the
United States and Canada as to which
the respective powers retain their en-
tire freedom.
The Japanese government has found
special difficulty with respect to the
Mutsu. as that is their newest shin
In order to retain the Mutsu, Japan
has proposed to scrap the Setsu one Of
her older ships, which under the Amer
lean proposal was to have heeu re-
tanned This would leave the number
Of .Iapan's ships the same, that is. ten.
as under the American proposal Re
-tention OF tho Mutsu by Japan in
place OF tho SetrJ makes a difference
in net tonnass of 1880 tons, making
the total tonnage of Japan's capital
ships 3is.soo tons as against 2aa.7oo tons
under the original American proposal
While the difference In tonnage Ia
small there would be considerable dif-
ference in efficiepcv a= the retention
of the Mutsu would give to Japan two
post -Ju'land ships OF the latest design.
ITO meet this nrtuation and to pre-
serve the relative strength on the ba sis
of the agreed ratio. it is agreed that
the United States shall complete two
of the ships in course OF construction,
that is. the Colorado and the wash
ington. which are nov about 90 per
cent completed and scrap two of the
older ships the North Dakota and the
Delaware. which under tho original
proposal were to be retained. This
would leave tho United States with the
same number of capital ships. that is
eighteen. as under the original propos
al, with tonnage of 5a5.s50 tons a.
against 5oo,s5o tons as originally pro
posed, Three ta) of the ships would be
post -Tutland ships of the Maryland
type. ~
''As the British have no post-Jutlapd
ships, except one Hood the construe
ton of which Is only partly post-.Iut.
land. IT is agreed that to maintain
fr'pt1 RELATIVE strength. fNa Er1f1 ~
government may construct two, new
ships not to eScesd $4,000 legend tons
each. that is calculating tonnage &c
cording to British standards of meas.
urement or according to American cal
cula aticns. the equivalent of 81 900 tonr
each. 1t is agreed that the British
government shall on the completion Of
these two new ships, scrap four of
their ships of the King 5ec--s V type
that is the Erin. King Georg. i. Cen
turian, and Ajax. which were to have
been retained under the original
American propopsl This would leave
the British capital ships in number
20, as against 90 under the American
proposal. Taking the tonnaEe of the
two new ships according to American
calculation, 1T would amount to 1t.ooo
and the four ships scrspped having =
tonnage of 9s, 100 tons there would he
a reduction in net tonnage of ~ 40
tons leaving the British tonnage ct
capital chips. ss2,osn instead of 604. i5n.
This would give the British as against
the Upited States an excess tonnage of
be, 200 tons, which Is deemed to he fsir
in view of the ships of the Rovsl Sow
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