Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-10-09
TO FIT UP FAST LINER
AS FLAGSHIP FOR N|yY
Great Northern. Former Army
Transport, to BE Used by
Admiral Jones.
ronEIGN POWERS warren wonl>
Particular Typr of Vessel Has Al
wnSs Bccp source OF Trouble in
NhEn1 Circles md Forthcoming En-
pertinent lss.tnE EMEcrly AMnitcd.
ny robert .. ncpllrr.

Ivy Robcrf y. ncDhrr.
United News staff Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. oct S-Thc Great
Northern, used as an army transport
during tn" war and. because OF her
size and speed. cmircn;ly fitted for
passenger ana cargo service In
Americas Merchant Marine, is en-
route from san Domingo TO ~. Al
lantic coast navy yard for n unique
naval experiment.
II is the purpose Of tn" navy to 1T
up the Great Northern for use as A.
m,rul Hillary Jones flagship ira
great feet Inaneuvors nest January
when tho Atlantic and Pacific d.
vision unite of the Panama Canal
for gun practice and drill.
Experiment. HciuE Watched.
For two reasons the experiment =
hcing watched by foreign powers
the flagship problem has always
been serious one In world ravioS
The French navy has followed the
practice o; establishing its naval
board Of strategy almost exclusively
on shore duty In event OF Il coutein-
plated action the command In chic
Of the navy boards = fast cruiser and
clashes on; at tho head % his tcct.
The board OF strategy, however. re-
naming for the most part OH land.
The British navy has followed the
prac.,cc OF having the commander
in-chici on his flagship With his
leading stratcGists with him. In
event OF action he would leave the
carshir and board n cruiser in order
70 be closer 10 the line Of battle.
Creates Problem for L. =.
In both instances the lack OF
,rono- .acili;{eS for carving the
board OF strategy along ON any fight
ing shin has created q problem which
The United states government - try
ing 10 solvc. II has been decided 10
rxpcrincu. win the fast liner, WIN
its greater room facilities. 10 deter
mine whether this sort OF vessel az
ter all. is not the ideal vcsGei Tor
flagship. y boat ~ the type OF 'h'
Grea, Northern, for example, Wh!lc
cot SO fast as = cruiser, - S'i'
faster than any hattlcshi? such as Is
usually used as tlaSshin anu ~
moro coumodious. Tn. Great North
.rn could bc, and probably viii he.
equipped so that the entire hoard OF
strategy can easily be accommodated
.or its work aboard her during the
january mancUrcrS
INT while the experiment With nc
t;rea: Northern Is vurct! on" OF
strategy, in which foreign powers are
,ntercsted because they. too, partiru
Iarly the british, have been s.ohihs
4 solution Of tho problem g. room
for tho board Of strategy, ih'F' !"
another interesting; phase %; the en-,
trance OF such vessels 'nio haN'''
service.
!, hns been realized for some time
mat during the Forthcoming arms
conference the question al limiting
fighting chips must OF necessity iaN"
into consideration each nations mel
chant marine. The merchant marine
pIays its par: from two angles. flrSi.
a. country having a large merchant
n3r!nc--and this in :hc contention OF
British and American n1ra! anthor-
ties-,nust Of necessity haze large
navy 10 properly protect H. ON the
other hand. /, is admitted that. even
r. actual iigating ships we're reduced
in number. those countries having
large merchant marines would sull
have y dominating position because
Of the c.Sc with which merchant
ships could be converted into yes
sells OF war.
The proposed conversion ot n liner
Of the type II the Great Ncrth"ra
iujo tie narsnlp az the commander
OF the American Fleet tcs;iies |" the
uotun;ia. use to which q merchant
snip mi#ht be- Earned In event OF war.
And while The Great Northern win
not bc armed as = warsh!p. sucn q
course would bc only another step
which, IN "u emergency. could Toe
easily TAKEN.
There Is no doubt that merchant
marines VIII play a conspicuous part
IN the arms contcruac. Proceedings.
Ia !act. authorities Ecrc regard this