New-York tribune., 1921-12-16

'
The following are the points of
agreement that have been reached in
sne course of the negotiations be-
tween the United States OF America,
Great Britain and Japan with re-
spect to their capital lighting ships:
An agreement has beer reached
between the three powcrs--the
United States OF America, the British
naval ratio. The proposal Of the
American Government that the
ratio should be ive~fve-three is ac-
cepted. 1t is agreed that with re-
snect to fortiiieations and naval
bases in the Pacific region, including
Hcngkong. the status quo shall be
maintained, that is, that there shall
be no increase III these fortifca-
tions and naval bases except that
this restriction shall not apply to
the Hawaiian Islands. Australia,
New Zealand and the islands COM
posing Japan proper, or, of course,
70 the coasts Of the United States
and Canada, as to which the respec-
tive powers retain their entire
freedom.
The Japanese government have
found special difficulty with respect
20 the Mutsu, as that is their
newest ship. In order to retain the
Mutsa Japan has proposed to scrap
the Settsu, one of her older ships,
which. under the American proposal,
was to have been retained This
would leave the number of Japan's
capital ships the same, that is, ten,
as under the American proposal.
The retention OF the Mutsu by
Japan in place OF the Settsu makes
a difference in net tonnage OF
1860 tons, making the total tom
mage OF Japan's capital ships $751;
200 tons. as against ZOO tons
under the original American pro-
pesal.
While the difference in tonnage is
small. there would be considerable
difference in efficiency, as the reten-
ton of the Mutsu would give to
Japan two ca post-Jutland ships OF
the latest design.
In order to meet this situation and
10 preserve the relative strength on
the basis of the agreed ratio it is
agreed that the United States shall
complete two (2) of the ships IN
course OF construction; that is, the
Co. orado and the Washington, which
are now about so per cent completed,
and scrap two (2) OF the older ships
kN2t Is. tNS -NolCH S~hVto h4iN 1Hc
Delaware, which under the original
proposal were to be retained. This
would leave the United States with
the same number OF capital ships,
that is, eighteen. as under the origl-
nal proposal, with tonnage OF $685.
$50 tons, as against 500,650 tons, as
originally proposed. Three CD of
the ships would be post-Jutland ships
Of the Mary and type.
As the British have nc post-Jut-
and ships, except one Hood, the
construction of which is only partly
post-Jutland, it is agreed that in
order TO maintain proper relative
trength the British government may
construct two CD new ships not to
exceed 200 legend tons each, that
IS, calculating the tonnage according
10 British standards OF measurement,
or, according to American calcula-
Ions. the equivalent of 81 600 tons
each. It is agreed that the British
savernment shall, on the completion
Of these two (2) new ships, scrap
Tour (4) of their ships of the King
George V type, that is, the Erin,
King George V, Centurion and Ajax,
which were to have been retained
under the original American pro-
posal. This would leave the British
capital ships in number twenty, as
against twenty-five under the Ameri