The Washington herald., 1921-01-24
Conclusive Discussions
Must Be Delayed
Until Autumn.
JUNE CONFERENCE
TO DISCUSS NAVY
Inventions Being Tested
May Make Present
Methods Obsolete.
by FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

There can be no conclusive Cls-
cussion Of naval disarmament with
Great Britain until autumn, 1921.
Information to that effect has
reached Washington from an au-
thOritative quarter. 1t justities, II
it did not directly inspire, Elihu
Roots suggestion to the House Ma
val Committee that there is no
virtue in attempting to push mat
ters.
The British government has
caused it to be known that until
the imperial conference with the
oversea dOminiOns has completed
its deliberations, British naval pol
icy for the immediate future must
remain undetermined. The confer
!, enCe is called for June. 1t is eN-
pected to sit throughout the sum-
mer and probably well into the au-
umn
President Harding's administra-
tiOn certainly will be in office six
months before the British govern
ment will be ready to announce its
naval plans. Any OvertVres sub
mitted to London meantime, either
from the L nlIel states OF any ONlltt
quarter. will. it is understood, sim
ply be filed for future reference.
In addition to reOrganizing her
policy at sea in collaboration with
her daughter nptiOns," Great Brit
ain is engaged in a serious inves-
tigation Of the future usefulness
or ObsoIetism of the great battle
ship and battle-cruiser.
British Navy split.
Tho British navy is split wide
open on the question. One school
Of thought headed Ly Admiral Sir
Percy Scott. declares the subma-
rint and the tOrpedO-Carrying air
plane have put 34O,OOO,OOO "all-big-
gun" ships out of business. A rival
school asserts that the capital ship
still holds its place as the dominat-
ing unit in all plans for future na<
val development.
on December -, 1920. the British
admiralty began at Hull, on the
cast coast of England, a series Of
experiments with the torpedo
plane" described in The Washington
hIrraId January II.
Ihe experiments are being con-
ted with the utmost secrecy.
reseutatives of the American.
:
were invited to Hull, but be-
their arrival on the flying
md certain internal fittings
gear were removed from the
orDcdopIanes" by the order of
ythe air ministry, which is intent
mon keeping the mysteries of their
mechanism hermetiCally sealed.
studying Wireless Torpedo.
\notber technical problem of the
FIRST magnitude, which British naval
.1pineers are zealOusly studying, is
he giant torpedo COntrollable from
rbe air or from land by wireless. If
such death-dealing missile is per-
facted. many British authorities
Aver every shilling subsequently
Dant on battIeship or battle cruiser
instruction is money squandered.
StnI another awe-inspiring in
ention is being looked into by the
ritish navy. 1t is piCturesquely de-
rribed as a torpedo boat with
wings" Both surface ships and sub
marines are said to be its legiti
male quarry. 1t can either swim
or the snrfaCC or rise in the air
syoopinE down upon its intended
,.frtfm. discharginE its torpedo with
deadly accuracy, and then skim
ming uf again before any gunner
T. likely to "spOt"it.
Until such vital questions are
,ncared up. the British government
rcpresents it cannot conceivably en-
Tor into international discussion re-
rarding naval disarmaments It's
position. roughly. is that nobody
knows today what the navy Of a
wear hence will be like. 1t may, pre-
} nonderantIy. be an air fleet. II may
consist overwhelmingly OF subma-
49,. It may not include a single
leship or battle cruiser unit
Two Viewpoints to Consider.
British Empire thus ap-
hes the question of naval dis.
Hment from two major stand
ints-imperial policy and en-
Kineering. With the overseas do
rmfnfons, the mother government
proposes to discuss the desirability,
or otherwise. of renewing the jap
alese alliance which expires by
limitation this year. Australia, Can
ada. New Zealand and South Africa
are not enthusiastic about renewal.
British naval power in the Pacific
bencefOrward will be increased or
reduced. respectively, IL the Japan
Csc alliance Is renounced or re-
newed. Before that particular issue
is clarified. the British say, they
obviously cannot discuss disarma-
ment. The mother country also will
take up with the dominions next
summer the question of their con-
tributiOn to imperial naval upkeep.
That is another matter, she says.
that must be out of the way before
Great Britain could enter any in
ternationaI naval conference under
standingly.
am informed British public
opinion has been profoundly i'm
pressed by facts and figures Just
presented to the country by Bras
sey's Naval and Shipping Annual"
the British Bible on sea affairs.
Loss, of Supremacy Threatens.
its 1921 issue. published on
ary 5, Brassey declares S,vIthin
est few years the British neet
lose its supremacy unless either
Ign construction he delayed or
|roGram of new xhIpbuIIdins be
dertsken.- The Annual continues:
TN 1924 We shall possess only
7fourteen hrst-class battIeships OF
7ss6. $50 tons to the twenty-one OIL
|7ss, 900 tons under the American