The New York herald., 1922-01-15

broken by the French an entirely new
situation presented itself. Each nation
had unlimited tonnage totals In this
class. On this basis they might build
ships which five years ago would have
been considered first class battle cruls-
ers. A limit was necessary, a limit which
would make il impossible for ships
| classed as auxiliaries 10 affect the cap
ital ship ratio, which they might well
have done. There was but one remedy.
Tho size of the individual cruisers had
to be set as did the diameter of the guns
which they are TO mount.
A Point of safety.
When the naval experts at the Paris
conference limited Germany's naval
forces they set the displacement OF her
future cruisers at 5000 tons. BY doub-
ling this the naval experts had ship
which was entirely seaworthy in all
kinds of weather and which could oper-
ate indefinitely by itself. Then they
set the size OF its guns at eight inch.
When one considers that the maximum
gun to be carried aboard the capital
ships Of the future is the 16 inch the
chances OF any number of cruisers
carrying eight inch guns taking the
place OF even the limited number of
capital ships carrying 16 inch guns
fades to oblivion And so while any
number OF cruisers can be built the cap
ital ship ratio is entirely safe.
But from a standpoint OF economy
the establishment of these limits forces
every nation on the globe to scrap ships
which under the Hughes plan they might
retain and forces them to build new
vessels to replace them. There is a
very great loss, not q saving.
America will have to scrap the fol-
lowing cruisers OF 14.500 tons and carry
ing four ten inch guns: Seattle, Char
lotte and AIissoula. Also we must scrap
the following cruisers, carrying eight
inch guns but exceeding the individual
tonnage allotment OF 10000 tons (13,6S0
tons): Pittsburgh, Pueblo, Huron, Fred
erick and Huntingdon.
We will retain all of the ten new
cruisers now building of $500 tons.
carrying twelve six inch guns. We will
also be able to retain the following
ships: Rochester, of $3.50 tons, carrying
four eight inch guns; the Brooklyn, of
9.215 tons, carrying eight eight inch
guns Charleston and st. Louis OF 800
tons. carrying twelve six inch guns and
various other OF our Oldest vessels like
the Olympia, Minneapolis, Columbia, New
Orleans and Albany. All Of these older
vessels would have been scrapped under
the Hughes plan, which provided that
Cruisers II years OF age from date OF
completion may be replaced by new
construction"
Must He Replaced Anyhow.
Nor does this actually present the
cost OF this new break in the plan. From
the Rochester down the line the ships
are worn out and must be replaced any,
how. In fact, the Brooklyn, Olympia,
Minneapolis and Columbia are already
or. the sale list. Possibly some of them
have already been sold. 1t means that
the United States must build from six
teen to twenty-odd cruisers as soon as
this plan becomes effective.
The British are affected the least by
this new order of things. They will have
to scrap the new cruisers Glorious and
10 inch guns, which were completed only
five years ago, and all OF their older
armored cruisers above 10000 tons, car
rylng the British 9.2 inch guns. How
ever, most Of these ships have already
been scrapped or sold. Retaining nearly
sixty new and modern fast cruisers, the
like OF which we have only ten on the
stocks. the British will be supreme.
Japan viii have to scrap the cruiser
tNsiSuEsl, OF o,uuU IONS, because 6llc Carries
= single 10 inch gun, or they will have
to reconstruct her to carry four inch
az does her sistership the Nisshin. It
Is possible also that they win have to
scrap the cruisers Idzuno, lwate, va
kumo. Asama and Tokiwa because they
measure close TO the 10000 ton mark,
and the application OF the standard
measurement OF displacement may bring
them above the prescribed figure.
France will also lost ships. the
cruisers Edgar ouinet, WaldeclS Rous-
seau. Ernest Renan. Jules Michelet,
Jules Ferry. Victor Hugo. Gloire Mar
esillaise. Conde and Anliral Aube being
over the tonnage limit.
The Italians will have 20 scrap the
armored cruisers San Giorgio, San Marco /
Pisa and possibly the francesca Fer
ruccio and varese because they violate
the agreement in one way or another.
To sum up. every nation in the world
Will have to start building new warships.
Cruisers OF the largest size viii be laid
down on the signing or tho agreement
Where this building Will stop no one
knows. In effect the aims Of the Arms
Conference have suffered another crush
ing defeat. The race for armaments IL
on again.