Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-07-06

shops OF the OnlCeQ states, WiiSH aLS
10 be sunk. or sold as virtual junk, I'M
der the terms of the treaty negotiated
at the Conference on the Limitation OF
Armament.
In the list of doomed ships are IA
nous vessels that have ridden the
waves for 10 years or more, and ships
not vet completed and never to be
launched.
Here are the outlines or the greatest
"scrapping" program in history-for
the United StateS\~ill discard more
vessels than any other nation.
II is estimated that il will cost at
least $4,000. 900 TO scrap the vessels
covered by the treaty. This will be an
expense bill for reimbursing contrac-
TORS and subcontractorS on ships UNI
der construction. labor in dismantllng
and cutting up into junk vessels now
on the ways. the cost OF hauling YES
sells out TO sea and shooting at them
until they sink.
The vessels to be destroyed, new and
old, are estimated to represent an out
Law of nearly half-billion dollars.
Most of this money was expended on
battle cruisers and battleships not
vet completed but on which cOnstruc-
tion was started. It was figured that
the United States has invested IN these
new vessels about $3.50 100000, Add
10 this the cost Of me - old capital
ships that are to be scrapDed and the
haIf-bilhon mark is not far away.
Fifteen old ships, so-called. are to be
fra,,, tho NJ nInn
20 years old, to the Michigan, IL years
old.
Thirteen uncompleted vessels, SIX
battle cruisers of most modern type
and seven battleShipS are also to 90.
The battleshius range from II to 70
per cent completed the average beng
about one-third. The doomed battle
cruisers are from l. to 30 per cent
complete
However. two Of the cruisers are to
be converted into airplane carriers
the treaty permitting thls-anc tne
actual scrapping viii APPLY to only
four cruisers. The Lexington, SO per
cent. complete. and the Saratoga, 5S
per cent. complete have been selected
for airplane carriers.
The remaining four cruiserS-Con-
stellation. Ranger, Constitution and
the United StateS-muSt be used rs
targets in target practice or sold for
the wood. iron. steel and brass that
are in them.
In disposing Of all the vessels, old
and new. the naval board recommends
that they "be disposed of by sale un-
less sunk by gunfre." However, II
is explained at the Navy Depart
ment. it is hard TO sell war vessels.
They are unsuited for merchant
use because of the weight Of their
armor and small freight-carrying
capacity Their machinery will fit
into no other ship, and the expense
and inconvenience of removing the
machinery are practically prohihi-
tive. The most that can be eX-
pected is a buying order from some
one who wants to strip the vessels
Of their metal and furnishings.
Indications are, therefore. tha+
most of the condemned vessels will
be towed to sea and sunk.
The Navv Department. neverthe-
less. has alreadv sold two Of the
vossels-the Maine and the Nilsson
ri. Each was bought for junk pur-
poses.
Completed capital ships to be sold
or scraDpe3. most Of them 10 to 20
years old. inclClc the Virginia, New
Jer.ey. Rhode Island. Georgia, Ne
braska, Connecticut, louisiana, Yer
mont. Minnesota. KNVsas, New
Hampshire. MICHIGAN. South Caro-
lima, Delaware and North Dakota.
II was but 4 few years ago that
the country thrilled over the launch
ing Of one after another OF these
vessels, az that time representing
the latest thing in sea warfare.
Under the terms Of the treaty y
IS permissible that the United
States suoplant the Delaware ianh
North Dakota with two new vessels
of the West Virginia tvpe. Accord
iuelv. as soon as the West Virginia
and Colorado are completed, they
will he nut into commission and the
Delaware and the North Dakota
junked.
The seven uncompleted battleships
to be Scrapped-wOrk on them hav-
ing ceased several months ago
are.
Washington. South Dakota, In
diana. Montana, North Carolina,
Iowa nd Massachusetts, The Mass
qchusetts. now at Fore River. is only
II per cent. complete; on the other
extreme the WASHINGTON. now at
the New York Shipbuilding Com
panv yards. is $50 Der cent. COM
Dlete. The remaining five range
from - to rs per cent COMPLETE.
II is contemplated by the naval
experts that if an mcompleted yes
sci has so far progressed toward
completion that she will float the
shin will DO taken down the wavs
and on 70 the sea. where she will be
sunk
Vessels that have not reached tho
floating stage i'm construction Will
he "broken up" on the ways and
tho wrecLage sold for whatever it
will bring. The four battle cruisers.
for Observation-Disclosures. Ranger.
Constitution and United StateS-o~e
i'm the initial stages Of construction
and the Naval Board say these u.s.
sells "muSt either be disaSSambled or
cut up." They are not available
even for target practice. The Con-