The New York herald., 1921-11-18
Battle Cruiser Likely to
Take Place Of N. Dakota
and Delaware.
UTAH AND FLORIDA NEXT
Naval Expert Summarizes
Probable Effect on Build
ing Programme.
ny eraser ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

BY eraser sCHORNsTHEIMER
Special Despatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. C., Nov. IL. i
The subject of warship replace
ments has brought up the question of
ship ages and when the existing YES
sells will be replaced. The only actual
controversy can be said to be on the
advisability Of allowing warship con-
struction facilities to go to waste.
The existing ships in the British
navy are powerful enough to main
tain the British superiority on the
seas until full replacement has taken
place, when England and the United
States will be on an equal basis.
If the holiday idea is to be cut from
ten years to five the United States
will not be able to commence warship
construction until five and a half
years have elapsed. Under the terms
OF the American plan no replace
ments are to take place until the re-
placed vessels are at least twenty
years old
Three Years of Construction.
However. the construction of a war
ship to replace one approaching the age
limit may begin three years before the
limit has been reached. and so when a
warship is seventeen years old new
ship is to be started to replace her.
The reason for this application of terms
is obvious. 1t should take but three
years to build warship under the
normal rate Of construction.
1t has taken five years to get our
battle cruisers of the 1915 programme to
the % per cent. complete state, but this
is extraordinary. for we virtually
stopped big ship construction during
the war to concentrate on smaller craft
more urgently needed to combat the
submarine. Since the war Congress has
been lax about making appropriations
for the construction OF these ships. But
three years is an entirely fair estimate
for the construction Of a warship.
The American plan also provides for
the total reduction of warships to be
replaced. The old vessel must be
scrapped within three months after the
new ship goes into commission, the
process Of scrapping beginning before
the new ship actually goes into commits
sion.
In the month of April, 1927, the United
States may start to build a new capital
ship. Congress willing and the American
plan in force. This ship will be to re-
place the battleships North Dakota and
Delaware of 10000 TONS twenty-one
knots and carrying ten 12 inch guns.
America will retain $50 tons of capital
ship tonnage in excess Of the limits
prescribed under the American plan
and these tons will have to be taken
out of this first replacement.
The Next n Battle Cruiser.
The plan allows the construction of
capital ships having n displacement of
not greater than $4,000 TONS and so one
ship of that size will probably be laid
down ut that time. From the present
indications the ship will be a battle
cruiser. carrying 16 inch guns. as that
type is the one most needed In our SER
vice. This new ship will be completed
In 1880, when the two older battleships
will be scrapped. When this ship Is
completed we will have an excess tom
mage of 1850 to add to that of the next
two ships to go out of service. the
Utah and the Florida, Of 21,s25 tons. 21
knots, and carrying ten ~. inch guns.
Then we will have $4,000 tons to our
credit, and n second $4,000 ton capital
ship will probably be started In 1928, to
be completed in 1881, when the Utah and
Florida will go out OF existence. This
second ship will also very probably be Il
battle cruiser, as will the next three re-
placement ships.
The ships for the ba,tleships Arkansas
and Wyoming will be started in 1929
and can be completed In 1882. The re-
placing vessels for the New York and
Texas may be started In 1891 and COM
pleted in 1894. Those for the Nevada
and Oklahoma in 1898 and those for the
Pennsylvania and Arizona can also be
started in the same year. The ship TO
replace the Mississippi may be COM
menced in 1894, that to replace the New
Mexico in 1885 and the one TO replace the
Idaho in 1896. The Tennessee's re-
placement may be started In 1897. while
those TO replace our two latest ships, the
California and the Maryland. may be
started I'm 1898.
Looking from the present situation. &
Is probable that total OF fifteen capital
ships will be built. They will be divided
into two general types of five battle
cruisers and ten battleships. The pres
est gun, the 16-inch so calibre naval
rifle, will probably be the first weapon
used.
or course all this is entirely dependent
upon the general acceptance of the
American plan. though. as various high
naval officers have said. II is really too
early TO predict the exact details for the
new fleet.