Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-09
WORK Hal. TED
ON WARSHIP
BY ORDER Of
NAVAL. CHIEF
Fourteen Capital Ships Are
Included in List; Denby
Acts Under instructions
From President.
RATIFICATION OF THE
TREATY is EXPECTED
Building Operations Thus
Halted Have Cost Gov
ernment Approximately
S5,00O,000 a Month";.

Washington, Feb. 8, (By
the Associated Press.) -
Construction work on four
teen capital ships was sus-
pended today by order of
Secretary DENLY under di-
rection of President Hard
ing. The step was taken in
anticipation of ratification
of the naval limitation
treaty which resulted from
the Washington conference
and, under which only
three of the vessels involved
will be completed as war
craft. The other eleven will
be scrapped or converted to
merchant ships under the
treaty. .
Secretary Dcnby acted aItef AS
sistant Secretary Roosevelt had
discussed with President Harding
the terms of the treaty affecting
the new ships. Mr. Harding ap-
proved the suggestion that work
be halted Immediately on the eight
super dreadnaughts and six battle
cruisers pending final action on the
treaty. The building operations
thus halted have cost the govern
ment approximately $5,0O0,00O a
month.
TO Cancel Contracts.
Following the ratification Of the
treaty, contracts for the new ships
will be cancelled. The ultimate
cost to the government Of this
cancellation can not be determined,
but naval officials believe a con-
siderable saving will be made
through today's action.
Only one capital ship under con-
struction was exempted from to-
days suspension order. She is the
Colorado. more than 80 per cent
completed and which will be re-
tanned in the permanent fleet.
Vessels on which work was or
dered stopped Included eight first
class battleships: the Washington.
at the New York Shipbuilding cor
poration: the West Virginia, New
port News Shipbuilding and Dry
Docks company; the South Dako-
Ia, New York navy yard: the In
diana, New York navy yard; the
Montana, Mare Island navy yard:
the North Carolina, Norfolk navy
yard: the Iowa, Newport News
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock COM
pany and the Massachusetts, Beth.
lehem Shipbulding corporation,
Fore River, Mass.
Work also was ordered suspend
ed on six battle cruisers as follows.
Lexington, Bethlehem Ship
building corporation; Constella-
ton, Newport News shipbuilding
and Dry Dock company; Saratoga.
New York Shipbuilding corpora
ton; Ranger, Newport News Ship
building and Dry Dock company;
Constitution and United States,
Philadelphia navy yard
The battleship Colorado, now
building at the yards of the New
York Shipbuilding company and
SO per cent complete on January
J. was not included in the cessa-
tion order.
One VIII BE Completed.
While work on the battleships
West Virginia and Washington was
ordered stopped, one will be COM
pleted and added to the fleet.
Which is to be selected has not
been decided, but it has been in
dicated that the West Virginia.
probably will be named. It is be-
lieved by navy officials that she
can be finished more cheaplv than
the Washington, a sister ship of
the post-Jutland class like the
Colorado.
With the Colorado, the vessel Sc
lected for completion, will make
up the two battleships "of the West
Virginia class" which the United
States is to retain to replace the
Delaware and North Dakota, which
will be scrapped on completion Of
the new vessels. The two form the
American equivalent under the
5-5-9 naval ratio agreement of the
treaty for japanese retention of
the battleship Mutsu.
The other battleshins on which
work has been stopped are Of the
4O.000-ton type, they are armed
with twelve sixteen-inch guns ex-
Continued on Page Two.)