The New York herald., 1922-01-15
Building of Craft on Stocks to
Continue Until Confer
ence Ends.
NAVAL RACE STILL ON
French Demands Revive Aux
Hilary Rivalry and Cause
Financial Losses.
BY eraser sCHoRNsTHEiMER.
ssecial Dispatch to THE NEW YonK HHRALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c., Jan. II.


New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., Jan. IL.
The most important Developments in
the naval situation have been from both
external and internal sources. Admiral
Ide, the japanese Minister Of the Navy.
has ordered the cessation of construc-
ton on the new battle cruiser Atago.
which was laid down on November IS
st the KawasaM works at Kobe. only a
Sew days after the great dreadnaught
Saga was launched.
IT also has been reported that material
was being ordered for sister ship to
the Atago, the Tal1ao. Adniral Ides
announcement stated that no work
would be done on the entirely new
ships pending the outcome of the con-
ference, but that the construction Of the
new ships on the stocks would continue
until the conference had completed Its
deliberations. 1t Is understood that
these ships are being rushed.
Next in order of Importance comes the
information from naval sources that the
new cruiser arrangement forces US TO
scrap our newest and most powerful
afnored cruisers, those OF the Pueblo
(formerly Colorado) and Seattle (for-
xneriy Washington types. and allows us
TO retain the oldest Ships in the service,
the cruisers which were so wonderful
during the Spanish-American War,
the Olympia, the Rochester (formerly
New York; and others. 1t also
provides that we may replace these
ships, and so it works out that we
must scrap the new ships by agreement
and the old ones because they are too
old to be of any use-an additional eX
pense Of from $3.50. 0.00o,0 900 to $500, 100000
for from sixteen to twenty new fast
cruisers. In all. about nineteen cruisers,
displacing from 14.500 tone to $500 tons
each, must be replaced with new ships
at the earliest opportunity.
Result of French Demand.
From a naval saving standpoint, the
result Of the French demand for SUD
marine tonnage is by far the most de
rogatory to the aims of the arms con
ference of all the proposed amendments
to the original Hughes plan. The reten
tion OF excess submarine tonnage by
any nation automatically opens tho
question OF the totals for auxiliary COM
batant craft, embracing cruisers, de-
stroyer leaders and destroyers.
Tho reason is that the best weapon
against the submarine is the destroyer.
With large submarine totals. large de-
stroyer totals will be necessary--and the
destroyer totals IN such an event can
hardly be set to any fixed rule because
geography dictates the exact role they
will have TO play against the submarine.
In the case of France and England un-
limited numbers OF destroyers will bo
necessary.
Classed with the destroyers are flo-
tilla leaders and cruisers. The number
OF flotilla leaders cannot be set until the
har OP IN ha lad
is known. Only war can bring to the
surface this information, and so it Is to
be- seen that It is impossible to separate
the two classes in an effort to limit
either one or the other. The cruiser can
hardly be separated from the flotilla
leader. For instance-the United States
has cruisers which are not so large or
so fast as the newer Japanese destroy
er leaders. the Tatsuta and Tenryn.
And so It IS that the whole subject 10
split wide open. Unlimited tonnage may
be built by any nation. There can be no
denying the fact that IN this respect the
race for armanents will go on es before.
However, there is one comfortinG
thought Because there may be great
cruiser tonnage future submarine war
against merchant ships may be ended.
General international agreement will
consine the use Of submarines strictly to
operations against warships-there viii
be enough cruisers to undertake an en-
tireiy separate war against commerce.
In the original Hughes plan destroy
ers, destroyer leaders and cruisers were
limited to the extent of 100000 tons for
the United States and Great Britain and
10000 tons for Japan. No limit was
set on the size and gun power OF the
individual ships. 1t was not necessary.
No nation could afford TO eat up ton
mage In extremely large ships. for the
tonnage was badly needed I'm destroyers
because OF the submarine totals allowed
each nation. In fact among the naval
experts of the several nations there was
Quite a little individual complaint be-
cause of the small totals in this aux
Hilary class.
When this very fair arrangement was