Evening star., 1921-12-27
FIXING SUBMARINE
FIGURES PROBLEM
Commission of Experts May
Be Named to Frame
Rules on Computing.

The action of the subcommittee on
naval limitation of the armament
conference in naming a commission
of experts to agree on uniform rules
for all nations in computing tonnage
| Oh capital ships emphasizes the fact
j that similar action must be taken in
regard to submarines and several
settled according to broad general
principles.
| In fact, the basic consideration in
the discussion of submarines-wheth-
er they are to be claSSed as for of
fensive" or defensive" purposes-can-
| not be settled by any method of COM
| putatlon. but depends chiefly upon
i the geographic location of the nation
:: owing them.
| Tonnage Varies Widely.
! The tonnage of a submarine varies
! widely according to the method of
| computation. One of the type which
has a tonnage of 1900 on the sur
lace has displacement of $500 tons
! when submerged. In other types the
/, variation is about the same ratio.
;Consequently when the general state
ment 10000 tons of submarines is
, used it may mean something entircl.
different. If the surface displace-
ment is estimated at 10000 tons, that
means some $4,000 tons when sub
! merged. ON the other hand, if the
$4,000 tons is displacement when sub
| merged, the surface weight of the
! same submarines will be only 49,5OO
; tons.
| Solne experts hold that the tonnage
Of a submarine should be computed
Oh inc Surface OF the water the same
as any other craft, while other
pfI1 a u
| that as it is distinctively an under
| water craft, it's tonnage should be
| computed as when it is submerged.
II the latter method was followed in
Britain and the United States each
| nave 5000 tons, their submarines
on the surface would have been a.
900 tons. ii the former method is
! used IN the present proposals that
they each have $4,000 tons, their same
submarines submerged will amount
! to $4,000 tons. By changing the
methods of figuring. the net reduc-
tion from 10000 to $4,000 tons is only
! $4,000 or 1900 tons. proving the
great value of technical experts to a
| conference of statesmen.
! Offer All Variations Possible.
! In addition to these mathematical
| gymnastics, submarines offer all the
| variations of tonnage possible to
capital ships. 1t is easy to rate the
| same capital ship at either 10000 or
o5,o00 tons, or any variations in be-
tween, and be correct. 1t is obvious
! that when the crew, fuel. water, am
munition and other supplies. all of
which are necessary for the function
! ing Of the ship. are computed, its ton
mage IS greater than when it's i'm
movable equipment is considered
The crew with their kit bags, trunk s
and pet live stock would alone make
f.f
ships. Coal. oil. water and ammuni-
ton would run into the thousands of
tons. Some nations figure tonnage
en- ship stripped of everything that
lis removable. The American Navy
}allows a certain percentage of each.
Most navies follow a similar method
but the percentage varies
/ Difference in Situations.
While a submarine with steamins
radius of 1850. or even 5000 miles
might have offensive possibilities be-
tween either Great Britain, Japan or
the United States. one with a limited
radius of 500 miles would be consid-
cred as purely defensive so far as
these three nations were concerned
In regard to France ard Italy, or
other nations separated by narrow
seas, the situation is entirely differ
ent. A submarine which would on
account of its limited cruising radius
close to its own shores in an engage
ment between Japan and the United
States has distinctive offensive
value between other nations.
Discrimination Waste OF Time.
Attempting to discriminate between
offensive" and defensive" warcraf,
is d waste of time, in the opinion OF
naval technical experts. No attempt
is made as to capital ships, as there
is no question that they can be used
for offense if the occasion requires
The same opinion holds as to aux
iliary craft, possibly excluding mon
itors. which are considered absolutely
valueless except to supplement shore
defenses. Light cruisers. destroyers
/ even limited radius submarines, are
considered as having necessary func-
tions for both offense and defense
the American feet under the present
program being singularly devoid OF
icruisers-and the experts verdict is
that a defensive ship is valueless to
any fleet and a waste of money to
any nation.
1 Copyright, 1921, by Chicago Daily News)
! DIFFERENCE IN FIGURES.