Evening star., 1922-05-03
.SCRAPP|NG BOARD
URGES SHIP SALE
Junking Preferred for Vessels
Hit by Arms ParIey
Pact.

Sale to the highest bidder of all
capital vessels. which must be scrap
ped according to the terms of the
naval limitation treaty agreed to at
the arms conference. has been recon-
mended in the report of the board OF
naval. officers appointed to consider
methods of carrying out the treaty
provisions. =.
The board recommends that partly
constructed ships be sold on the
stocks and those completed sold for
junk. after all unsable parts. such as
modern guns. have been removed. IL
is believed that the government can
obtain some returns on all ships thus
sold'a that sinking at sea would De
an unnecessary waste. A preliminary
estimate of $4,000, 900 for the cost OF
operation is included in the report.
The board recommends that the bat
tie cruisers Lexington. under con-
struction at Fore River, Mass, and
York Shipbuilding Company at Cam
den. N. j., be converted into airplane
carriers under the treaty terms, the
other four battle cruisers to be SOLD
on the stocks to the highest bidder.
$7O,OOO.0OO Fund Asked.
The board in it's request urged that
the s7O,000,000 be made Immediately
available, stating that considerable
saving on ships building under con-
tract and to be scrapped could be
made if the terms Of settlement were
worked out promptly with the con-
tractors. 1t was pointed out at the
Navy Department.. however. that the
figure of $70,000,000 was purely ten
tative
Existing battleships which the
board recommends for sale or for de-
struction by gunfire are the Virginia.
New Jersey, Rhode Island. Georgia.
Nebraska, Connecticut. Louisiana.
Vermont. Minnesota, Kansas. New
and the Delaware or North Dakota
One of the last two ships, to be des-
ignated later, is to be used as a
target ship under the treaty.
Ships under construction and rec
! commended for sale as junk on the
tract with the builders include the
battle cruisers Constellation, at New
port News; Ranger at Newport
News. and Constitution and United
States, at the Philadelphia navy
yard.
conversion as an airplane carrier, is
33.S per cent complete. and the Sara
! toga, selected for similar conversion.
| 354 per cent complete. while the
| remaining battle cruisers range from
per cent to 22.7 per cent complete.
Battisships Being Built.
Battleships under construction in
! clude the Washington. T5.9 per cent
complete. at Camden. N. j.: South Da-
| kota, 3S.5 per cent. New York navy
yard: Indiana. 34.7. New York navy
yard: Montana. 27.6. Mare Island
yard: North Carolina. 36.7. Norfolk
yard; Iowa, 31.S. Newport News.
AS to the battle cruisers the board
says none Of the four to be scrapped
is near enough finished to be COM
pleted and launched and that all four
must be "disassembled or cut up"
The board considers it possible, how
ever that the Constellation can be
Scld on the stocks. '.
The scra piping board was headed by
Rear Admiral D. w. Taylor, chief
constructor of the Navy. with whom
were associated Rear Admiral Charles
B. McVey, chief Of ordnance; David
Potter, paymaster general: ]. K. Ro-
bison, chief engineer; L. Z. Gregory
chief of yards and docks. and w. c.
Cole of the office of the chief Of opera
tionS. hs.. =