The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-11
WORK STOPPED
ON AMERICAN
NAVAL VESSELS

T. @ n S t T u c t / O n
on Fourteen War
ships
washington Feb. S.-Construc-
I ton work on II capital ships was
SUSPENDED today by order OF Secre-
taiy Denly under direction OF
President Harding. The step WAS
taken IN anticipation of ratification
sof The naval lisnitation treaty which
resulted from the Washington con-
ference and :, under which only
three &C the vessels involved will
be connpiated as war craft. The 9TH
er~ viii be scrapped or convert
ed to merchant ships under the
treaty provisions.
Secretary DENLY acted after AS
sistant Secretary Roosevelt had
discussed with President Harding
3 the terms OF the treaty affecting
the new ships. Mr.. Harding ap-
proved the suggestion that work be
brought TO q standstill immediate
bsron the eight super-dreadnaught
and SIX battle cruisers, pending
final action sonsth treaty. In round
tigures. the building operations
thus halted have cost the govern
ment approximately $4,000 4
month
Following ratification of the
treaty, contracts for the new ships
VIII be cancelled The ultimate
cost TO the government of this
cancellation cannot be determined
in advance. hut naval officials be-
EeXe that considerable saving
viii be made through today's ac-
ton.
Only one capital ship under con-
atrnetion was exempted from to-
days suspension order She is the
Colorado. more than so per cent.
completed. and which viii be re-
saired in the permanent feet.
Ships on which work was step
red Included eight first class battla-
ships: the Washington at the New
York Shipbuildng Corporation: tne
West Virginia. Newport News
shsnbniidins and Dry Dock Com
pany:the South Dakota. New York
Navy Yard; the Indiana. New Yori,
Navy Yard; the Montana, Mare Is
Land Navy Yard; the North Caro-
lima, Norfolk Navy Yard; the Iowa.
Newport News Shipbuiidins and
Dry Dock Company. and the Mas
sachasetts. Bethlehem Shipbuilding
Corporation. Fore River, Mass.
Work was also ordered suspend
ed on six battle cruisers az fol-
io1sLexington. Bethlehem Ship
building Corporation: Constellation.
Newpost News Shipbuildins ard
Dry Dock Company; Saratoga. New
York ShipbuiIding Corporation: ::
Ranger. Newport News Shipbui!d-
ing and Dry Dock Company: Con-
stitution and United States. Phila-
delphia Navy Yard.
TO Complete One.
While work on the hattieships
Vest Virginia. and Washington was
ordered stopped one OF these ships
will be completed and added to the
feet when finished. Which is to
be selected for completion has not
been decided but it has been indi-
sStea ttsat the West Virginia prob
ably viii be named It is believed
..ssy navy officials that she can be
finfsheE more cheapIy than the
Washington. n sistcr-ship Of the
post-Jutland class
The Colorado, the vessel thus
selected for completion. will make
up ths two battleships ''of the
West Virginia class' which the
United States is to retain TO re-
pEce fiae Delaware and North Da-
kota OF the present fleet which will
be serapped on completion OF the
neW vessels. The pair form the
American equivalent under the
5-5-3 nayal ratio agreement Of the
treaty for Japanese retention of
the battlesi1ip Mutsu
The. other bat:.eships on which
work was stopped are of the i0.-
ao0-toa type armed with twelve 1e-
inch guns excluded from future
naval Establishments of the treaty
power.
Of the six battle cruisers. two
afe to be completed as airplane
carriers but work OF converting
them to tha,s type will not be un-
der.aken until the treaty has been
ratified. Plans for the conversion
in accordance with treaty restric-
f;ons are now in preparation. Three
Esofs the ships are practically at the
same point in construction. TIE
Two to be retained have not been
selected.
~ CT