The New York herald., 1921-11-23
Japanese Seem Loath to-
Mark Battleship Mutsu
for Destruction.
'HoLIDAY' BIG PROBLEM
All Nations Will Not Be Af-
fected Alike by Cessation
of Building.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 Associated
Press). s).--Deliberations of the naval ex-
perts OF the big Three" in the arms
conference remain wrapped in mys-
terry. Unofficially spokesmen in some
cases give hints and half glimpses that
reveal little but involved technical
questions which only serve to confuse
laynen in naval matters.
In the American viewpoint there is
no good reason to bring into public
view all the almost incomprehensible
discussions of the experts. What is in
progress, 1t was pointed out to-day, is
conference of equals, Of which the
only product can be a unanimous
agreement, and there is every reason
to expect that such an agreement is to
be reached soon that will not vary
widely from the American proposals
as to naval reductions and limitations.
In shaping their suggestions the Amer
lean delegation took into consideration
many things besides the mere question
Of capital ship tonnage In terms Of
which the plan was finally set down.
Estimates of naval strength of each
Power included, 1t is said. estimates Of
the whole situation Of each, of its whole
building programme. of it's financial
ability and mechanical equipment to
execute any building programme it might
desire IL competitive building was to
continue.
,rbo "r;,,o f,,,a t,,~.a rox,ou 30 +ho
American replacement scheme to end
competitive building and all its evils,
and the fleet strength that would re-
main under the proposed immediate re-
ductions on the eve of ten-year COM
plete building holiday, both are under
stood to reflect this summary of mat
ters, not susceptible Of mathematical
treatment
So in the American view the question
understood to have been raised by the
Japanese as to the exact state of COM
pletion of the battleship Mutsu. which
Japan would be called on to scrap as a
part OF her abandoned programme, is
inimaterial. If 1t is insisted that she
be retained. her equivalent must be re-
tanned by the United States and Great
Britain. For each of those Powers II
would mean more than a single addi-
tional ship.
One Of the four British battle cruisers
to be retained. the Tiger. was laid down
in 1911. She would be ready for re-
placement also in 1891. The other three,
the Hood, Renown and Repulse. were
war built and designed for action in the
North Sea. Their value except for the
special purposes they were built to serve
In the war, the prevention of German
raiders from shooting up the coast of
England. is problematical.
Applying the twenty year life rule
and the holiday decade to the ships
America proposes to keep. eight of the
eighteen would be twenty years or more
from the date their keels were laid in
1881. Two of them, the Delaware and
North Dakota, would be a year past
their allotted twenty year span before
replacement building could begin. They
would be twenty-four years old from
completion before the ships to replace
them were commissioned. The newest
American ships, the Maryland. Cali
fornia. Tennessee, Idaho and Mississippi,
however, would still hav1 almost a
decade Of active life left in them when
the holiday ended.
In the same way in the Japanese re-
tained fieet the oldest Japanese battle
ship, the Settsu, was laid down In 1911.
She would have but three years Of ac-
tive life left when the holiday ended.
-Four other of her six battleships the
Fuse, Yamashiro. Ise and Higua, would
have from four to Ave years to go be-
fore they were scrapped as worn out
and replaced. The Nagato alone would
have decade or more Of serviceable life
left and the four battle cruisers. the
Kirishima, Haruna. Hi-Yei and Kongo,
also would have only four or five years
before they would be dropped from the
lists and replaced.
Viewed In tlIis way there is some rea-
son to believe that both the British and
Japanese experts think the United States
would come to the end of the holiday
period In far better shape than either Of
the other two Powers. That appears to
be the basis Of tho discussions now pro-
ceeding and perhaps of the Japanese de-
sire to retain some OF the newer ships
scheduled for the scrap heap by the
American plan, rather than destroy
them. IF each navy, as seems likely,
felt Il necessary to take immediate adj
vantage of the resumption OF capital
shipbuilding in 1881, 1t Is suggested,
launched in that year.
WAITER DIES IN TAxICAB.
Peter Quinn, a waiter. died In "a taxi
cab yesterday while being taken from
his home at 1920 First avenue to st.
Johns Hospital, Long Island City. lie
was employed In the st. Regis Hotel and
was taken sick a week ago while at
work there.