Evening star., 1923-08-17
Ratifications Formally Ex-
changed Here by Repre-
sentatives of 4 Powers.
ORDERS GO OUT AT ONCE
TO SCRAP BATTLE CRAFT
Secretary Hughes Presides at Meet
ing of Diplomats-Pacifc
Treaty Also Effective.


four power Pacific pact negotiated at
the Washington arms conference
finally became effective today. when
representatives of all the signatory
powers gathered. at the State De-
partment and formally exchanged
ratifications.
The formality took place shortly
after noon. and was unaccompanied
by any public ceremony.
The actual scrapping of first-line
ships under the naval treaty will
begin Immediately, and by the terms
of the four-power pact the Anglo
Japanese alliance is terminated auto
matically by today's deposit of ratif-
cations.
Secretary Hughes Presides.
Secretary Hughes presided at the
meeting of the diplomats. which took
place in the diplomatic reception
room at the State Department. The
Secretary sat at the head of the ta-
BILE, with Counselor Chiffon, charge of
hand and Andre de la Boulaye. French
charge, at his left. Augusta Rosso.
Italian charge, sat beside Mr.. Chiffon
and Ambassador Hanihara of Japan
beside the French charge.
Machinery already set up by the
Navy Department for demolition of a
stated amount of tonnage under the
naval treaty was placed in motion as
soon as the exchange had been COM
pleted.
Orders Go Out mt Once.
Arrangement had been made by
Acting Secretary Roosevelt whereby
the State Department notified naval
officials the moment the treaty was
considered in full force. and orders
were sent at once to the various
builders and to principal metal deal
ers setting forth the procedure under
which reduction of the American Navy
would be accomplished.
Twenty eight capital ships, with an
aggregate tonnage of approximately
100000. are to be dropped from the
They were divided by the department.
for scrapping purposes. into three
classes: Ships under construction at
private yards. ships under construc-
tion at navy yards and old ships.
In the case of ships in the first class
builders were requested today by the
department to submit estimates for
purchase of the hulk on the stocks
for reduction to scrap metal, and a
separate estimate for breaking the
ships up so that the Navy might offer
the scrap to other bidders. The con-
tractors were notified at the same
time to submit a final estimate of all
charges and claims against the gov
ernment arising out of the abrogation
of their contracts.
To BE Advertised for Sale.
Ships in the second class at the
navy yards will be advertised for
sale within a few days to the highest
bidder. who will be required to re-
duce them to metal of scrap sizes"
Most of the old ships will be disposed
of by sale on the same terms as were
required in the recent cases of the
Maine, Missouri. Ohio and Kentucky,
which were transferred to scrap
dealers.
Four exceptions among the older
ships have been made by the depart
ment, the Washington and South
Carolina being marked for use in ex-
periments, in submarine and air at
tacks. and the New Jersey and Vir-
ginia having been set aside for use
by Army air bombers in practice man
euvers to be held next month. In
case any of these four ships are not
sunk during the experiments, they
will be disposed of by sale for scrap
ping, or demolished by the govern
ment.
scrapping Starts Mt Once.
"The Navy starts at once to scrap
all ships. other than those to be re-
tanned under provisions of the tSsaty
for the Limitation of armaments,"
said an official statement by Acting
Secretary Roosevelt. "Of these,
eleven ships are under construction.
seven of which are battleships To-
Gated as follows: The Indiana and
South Dakota, navy yard, New York:
Montana, navy yard. Mare Island:
Michigan. Bethlehem Shipbuilding
Corporation, Quincy, Mass; Iowa.
Newport News Shipbuilding Com
pany, Newport News. Va. and Wash
ington, New York Shipbuilding Cor
poration, Camden, n. ].
Two to Become Airplane Carriers.
'The battle cruisers Lexington and
Saratoga, under provisions OF the
treaty are being converted into air
plane carriers. The other fou- battle
cruisers, the Constitution and United
States at Philadelphia, and the Con-
stellation and Ranger at Newport
News, will be scrapped at once.
mo action is being taken at the
present time for the disposition of the
Delaware and North Dakota, now
abroad on the midshipmens practice
cruise, as the treaty does not require
that these be scrapped until the Col
orado and West Virginia arc placed III
commission. 1t is the present inten-
ton of the department to then Gis-'
pose of the Delaware by sale for
scrapping and to convert the North
Dakota into a target ship"