Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1921-12-12

Washington, Dec. 11.-(By The A P.)
While the foreshadowed acceptance by
Japan of the ''fve-fve-three" naval ra-
ito, cornerstone of the American naval
limitation plan, will leave much to be de-
cided, it loes not follow. in opinion of
American conference officials, that the
conference Itself will have to pass on all
that must De done. The remaining work
on naval matters, 1t is said. naturally di-
vides itself INTO two classes. They are de-
cisions involving policy and those mere
ly dealing with details under policies al
ready approved.
The conferalence must act on all pol
icy questions In this group lie the
Franco-Italian naval ratio determina-
| ton; the British desire to reduce the
| tonnage of each power in submarines.
and possibly, to limit the size OF future
submersibles; the suggested modification
| of the ten year naval holiday plan
| to permit some building as necessary for
protection of skipbuilding knowledge and
skill and fnal determination of fleet ra-
tios and n airplane carriers. In the
other group, il is expected, addition will
be found questions as agreement as TO
the method of scrapping ships slated for
. htSll ways ana means 10 G0niTnl
conversion OF merchant craft into war
vessels in war time; rules of warfare as
applying to new agencies such as subma-
rines, aircraft and poison gas; specific
agreement as tc feet ratios In the aux
iliary ships besides submarines and air
plaine carriers. II Is held the confer
ence would well leave someat least %
these points TO expert discussion and fin
| al settlement through ordinary dlpio-
matte channels.
A particular point In the latter class
is the method to be followed In scrap
ping capital ships. This necessarily in
wolves such disposition Of the vessels
as will make them impossible OF ready
reconversion into war craft. Yet there
Will be a strong tendency to salvage
whatever ran be saved for ordinary COM
mercial or other purely non-combatant
use.
Already It has been suggested that
, three of the six American battle crnis-
ers could he made over into safeA fast
! passenger liners, a type OF merchantmen
| lacking in the president American COM
l mercial fleet. The three ships under con-
: sideration have been completed up to the
/ water line. At that point. naval experts
figure, it would be possible to continue
construction so as to produce a purely
vessel instead OF a potential cruiser.
s Changes would be necessary so that the
. vessel never could be restored to wal
I purposes. except to the extent that any
s other commercial ship might be used a:
an auxiliary for war.
Outside OF special hull construction Il
tafford protection against submarines and
e mines. a warship hull is practically th'
same as that of liner up to the water
t line. In The battle cruisers, some Of tn.
:. engines and at least eight knots in speed
r would be sacrificed IL the ship wa.
u changed TO a liner and these changei
would be permanent. No change back Il
e cruiser construction would be possible
/ experts declare.
The same thing is said to apply to bat
9 tleships There is a possibility that thos
: not too far advanced In construction
: could be changed into intermediat
: freight and passenger service but nava
e experts have rot gone far enough to de
e termine If ;his is practicable and econ
omic suggestion.
= There are various non-combatant ma
IL val uses to which new or old capita
e ships might be put when stricken fron
II the list of fighting ships Already on
u, old American pre-dreadnaught, the Kear
70 sage, has been made over into a flee
~ craft ship. She now has no fghtin
;. quality. Similarly It might prove prov
expedient to Use a battleship or two a
iu :, repair or supply vessels, stripping ther
. beyond possible restoration Of fghtin
- characteristics, offensive, or defensiv,
~ These are all technical matters, however
= which naval experts probably will thras
~ out after the conference itself has ad
journed.