The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-12-23
! 8 POWERS AGREE
ON NAVAL RATIO.
5-5-3 Plan Stands, Japan to
Keep Mutsu
U. s. AND BRITAIN GAIN
ineton And Britain Will
Build Two New
Hoods.

Washington.-Three new interna-
tional agreements were added to the
two already accomplished and estab-
lished more firmly the foundation on
which the Washington Conference is
building permanent structure for
world peace
In announcing the greatest step
since the armistice, the American dele
cation, making known the naval agree
ment reached between the United
States, Great Britain and Japan gov
ernments, expressed the opinion that
the most difficult problems facing the
International Conference may have
been amicably and successfully solved.
The three agreements to follow the
treaties between the United States,
Great Britain, France and Japan to
respect each others rights in the Pa
cific and the Acknowledgements agree
ment giving this country equal rights
In Pacific mandates of the latter ma
ton are as follows:
j. An agreement between the United
States, the British Empire and Japan
on the subject of capital naval arma-
ments under the revised terms of
which the essential features of the
American plan are preserved.
2. An agreement between the same
nations providing that the status quo
shall be maintained with respect to
the Notifications and naval bases in
the Pacific region, including Hong
kong, which Great Britain desired to
have exempted
g. An agreement providing for a
naval holiday of 10 years with respect
to capital ships as originally pro-
posed by the American Government,
except for the permission for Great
Britain to contruct ships to take the
place of units retired under the
amended agreements.
In making known the new agree
ments the American delegation COM
n1unicated the fact that only naval
problems remaining to be solved re-
late to allowances to be made for
France and Italy and the determine
ton of the ratios of submarines.
With the exception of these twotopics
and those on the Far Eastern agenda,
the work of the Conference has pro-
crossed to definite and final stages.
Washington.-The agreement on the
naval ratio was made public in the
following announcement to the sub
committee on naval armament:
The following are the points of
agreement that have been reached In
the course of the negotiations between
the United States of America, Great
Britain and Japan with respect to
their capital fighting ships:
An agreement has been reached be-
tween the three powers-the United
States of America, the British Empire
and Japan-on the subject of naval
ratio. The proposal of the American
Government that the ratio should be
$50 is accepted.
1t is agreed that with respect, tc
Notifications and naval bases in the
Pacific region, including Hongkong
the status quo shall be maintained
that is, that there shall be no increase
in these Notifications and naval bases
except that this restriction shall no
apply to the Hawaiian Islands, Aus
tralia, New Zealand and the islands
composing Japan proper, or, of course
to the coasts of the United States ant
Canada, as to which the respective
powers retain their entire freedom.
Japan Retains Mutsu.
The Japanese Government has fount
special difficulty with respect to the
Mutsu, as that is their newest ship
In order to retain the Mutsu japan
has proposed to scrap the Setsu, on,
of her older ships, which, under the
American proposal, was to have beer
retained. This would leave the mum
Der Of Japan's capital ships the same
that is, 10, as under the American pro
posal. The retention of the Mutsl
by Japan in place of the Setsu makes
q difference in net tonnage Of Japan
capital ships 313,300 tons, as agains
299,700 tons under the original Amer
lean proposal.
While the difference in tonnage il
small, there would be considerabl,
difference in efficiency, as the reten
ton of the Mutsu would give to Japal
two post-Jutland ships of the lates
design.
In order to meet this situation an,
to preserve the relative strength OF
the basis of the agreed ratio. it il
agreed that the United States shall
complete two of the ships in cours
Of construction-that is, the COLORADO
and the Washington, which are nov
about 80 per cent. completed-an,
scrap two of the older ships-that is
the North Dakota and the Delaware
which under the original propose
were to be retained. This would leav
the United States with the same mum
Der of capital ships-that is, IS, a
under the original proposal, with
tonnage 525,S50 tons, as against 500
$50 tons as originally proposed. Thre
of the ships would be post,Jutlan,