Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-09-12
Navy "Scrapping"
Waits on Ratification
CBy United Pre>s.J

Washington, Sept. l2.-Complete
plans for Scrapping the American
/ battleShiDS and battlecruisers DOOM
| ed by the armament conference have
/ been carefully worked out by the
! technical experts of the Navy Depart
ment.
( The order from the Secretary Of
the Navy for full steam ahead on
the Scrapping program probably will
be held up until the last of the five
powers i'm the agreement have def
nltely ratified the naval treaty.
England, Japan and the United
States have ratified and it is under
stood in official circles that France
will ratify the pact in the early au
tumn. 1t is an open secret that Italy
only waits on Frances action before
falling into line.
So far the only steps toward carry
ing out the scrapping program has
been the disposal by competitive sale
Of six Of the older battleShips that
We're included i'm the treaty list. These
ships were practically obsolete and
would have gone the junk-pile route
IN due course, even had there been
no limitation conference
Similar action is being taken by
England and Japan. the ships that are
being destroyed by them being the
older ones on the list, that like our
own. had outlived their usefulness.
Passage Of Scrapping bill by Con-
greSS gives the chief executive the
power to order the work Of scrapping
the doomed warShips as soon as the
formal exchange Of notifications take
place. Except for an item Of $4,000
600 for payment to certain Sub-con-
tractors for work completed. for the
care of the ships to be Scrapped, for
Inventories and other necessary ex-
penditureS, no funds have vet been
provided by Congress.
Cancellation of contracts and Incl
dental expenses in connection with
cutting off of the building program
Will require an appropriation of about
SlO,OO0,O0O, according TO department
tai estimates. The actual disposal of
the vessels, however, naval officials
hope, will bring some returns. This
Is true, particularly of the old YES
sells, for there is Considerable brass
and lead in them in addition to the
steel.
In making plans to scrap the ships
There are two distinct problems to be
laced. One Of these, the simpler one
S the disposal Of the dozen old ships.
Regarding the disposal of these. the
Scrappng board recommend that they
be offered for sale to wreckinp- firms
Tor Junk after all equipment of value
TO IN Navy had ben taken off. Provid
ed purchasers can be found. il is IN
derStood that this means of disposal
VIII De adopted. In case there are no
bidders Tor them. the NAVY will have
70 undertake the work of cutting
them up or must take them to sea
and sink them.
While there have been tentative
suggestions from Germany. Sweden
and Holland that bids might be forth |
coming from abroad. the recent fail !
ure of the British to get more than
4 nominal sum for a number of their /
Old oatt,eShlpS has q tendency to dis /
count any optimism in this direction /
While the old ships could be used /
rs the British are doing-as targets
for the fleet, giving airShips. sub /
marines and battleShipS all valuable (
training. there IS a feeling in naval I.
circles that the economic waste in
sending to the bottom all this metal .
should be avoided If possible.
The second and more difficult prob /
lem confronting the board was the /
of the ships now building.
Here the recommendation of the
board was that these vessels be sold
IN the stocks TO the highest bidders
to be broken up and the scrap dis
Posed of. The practical difficulty of
having wrecking gangs come into pri-
'a(e yards or navy yards even prob
lo,y Will lead to the adoption of
y Inherent plan. 1t is understood that in
."e case Of the four ships building
III private yards, the final disposal of