Evening star., 1922-12-21
NAVAL SCRAPP|NC
HELD|N ABEyANCE
U. S. and Japan Await Pro.
mitigation of Arms Treaty
Before Wrecking Ships.
BUILDING ENDS, HOWEVER
British Have Disposed of Many
Vessels-Neither France Nor
Italy Required TO.
BUILDING ENDS, However

Although both the United States and
Japan have stopped work on large
building programs Of capital ships.
neither nation plans to complete the
scrappinG of any existing capital
ships. at least pending promulgation
OF the Washington arms conference
naval treaty.
This is shown in a report made by
Secretary DENLY, in response to q
House resolution calling for informa-
tion in the hands of the Navy Depart.
ment on the status Of warships scrap.
ped under the terms of that treaty or
otherwise disposed Of by the sigma
tories since the Adjournment of the
conference.
Great Britain is shown in secre-
tary Denby's report to have disposed
Of. or to be disposing Of. q very con-
siderable number Of other capital
ships.
L. S. DecOmmissions Ships.
The United States. according to the
report in addition to suspending
work on vessels under construction,
under the treaty has decommissioned
all completed ships affected except
the hattleship Connecticut, which soon
VIII be placed out of commission. and
u,
which are actually being broken up.
Great Britain. Mr.. DENLY said, had,
at the time this information was
gathered. but which was not indi-
cated. broken DIP three capital ships;
scld 70 be broken up seven; sold, but
not oismantled. one: completed mu-
!.iatlonS on two. and was engaged
| IN mutilatinS six others The Aus
decided to scrap the battle cruiser
Australia.
Prelfmfnaries to BE Done.
Through her ministry of marine, the
secretary continued. Japan had stated
that while work preliminary to scrap
ping will be done. the hulls will not
be broken up or sunk until the treaty
mas neen ratified by all the powers"
certain preliminary work involving
REMOVAL of guns. turrets. armor and
engines was being done. he said. on
seven capital ships: three others had
been placed In the fourth reserve, and
work had been suspended on six.
with the evident intention of complet-
ing them as aircraft carriers, permit
ted under the naval treaty.
Neither France nor Italy was re-
quired to scrap any completed vessels
by the treaty. One of the ships
France was permitted to retain. Mr..
DENLY said. had been wrecked and
that nation proposed to complete as
an aircraft carrier one Of the fve bat
tleships 1t had under construction at
the beginning of the war.
Italy Disposes OF One.
Italy, Mr.. DENLY said. had disposed
of one battleship under construction
and had annulled contracts for three
others. In addition, the Leonardo da
Vinci. a battleship permitted under
the treaty, had been wrecked and
would not be reconstructed.
Discussing ships not affected by
the treaty. Mr.. DENLY said the United
States had disposed of twenty-five
submarines, one destroyer. two moni-
tors. and one dynamite gun vessel
Great Britain, he added, had lost three
auxiliaries by sinking and had dis
posed of thirty-eight lighter vessels,
including twentyfour submarines
lone japanese battlcship. he continued,
and thirty three smaller vessels had
been removed from the effective list.
and one light crusier had been
wrecked. France had disposed of one
battleship. four cruisers and nine
torpedo boats.