The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-27
NEW DEFECT IN
NAVAL TREATY
FOUND
Limitation on Tonnage Of New
BattIeships Likely to Prove
Embarrassing to Britain.
By HARRY ROGERS.
international News Service.

Another defect of the Washington
Naval Treaty came to light today
as experts of the State and NAVY
Departments continued their study
of the document in an effort to de-
termine whether the United states
may elevate the guns of capital
ships to parity with those Of the
British fleet.
Unlike the question OF gun eleva-
ton raised by the British, however,
the new "joker," it is declared, Will
not operate to the disadvantage OF
the United States and may cause a
great deal of trouble and expense
for Great Britain.
The latest question has to do with
the limitation placed by the treaty
upon the tonnage of capital ships.
Under the provisions of the treaty,
Great Britain may construct two
new super-dreadnaughts mot ex-
exceeding $4,000 tons standard dis
placement EACH" and in accordance
with these provisions, the British
government has set aside funds Tor
this construction.
Calculations Inaccurate.
Now it has suddenly dawned upon
naval constructors that it is viz.
tually impossible to calculate In
advance the exact tonnage that
will be displaced by the completed
ship when she is afloat. Both the
American and British navy, ex-
perts declare, are full OF nlustra-
tions of this fact. 1t being com.
mon experience for ships to exceed
their calculated displacement by
from 5000 to 10000 tons.
This being so, officials are ask
ing what is to be done, IL the new
British ships exceed the tonnage OF
81, 900 expressly stipulated In the
treaty. II the agreement is to be
given the strictest possible interpre.
tation as Great Britain apparently
Is insisting in the cases OF the
proposed increase in the range Of
American capital ships, then any
ship exceeding $4,000 tons would
have to be strapped. /On this point
officials say, the language Of the
treaty is unmistakable, since the
provision uses the specific phrase
mot exceeding $4,000 TONS"
Meanwhile, the question as to
whether the United States will uti.
lie the $6,500,000 appropriated by
Congress for modernization OF
American ships remains unan-
SWGFSO. 1T may De 6IALSu OH the
highest authority that neither Pres
ident Harding nor Secretary of
State Hughes has as yet reached a
definite decision in the matter. Off
lcial intimations are that no deci.
sion will be announced until after
President Harding has returned to
Washington.
Fear to Discredit Pact.
There is a growing conviction in
official circles, however, that the
Administrator final decision will
be against elevating the American
guns even to the extent of placing
them on an equality with those of
the British ships. Some Of those
closest to the President have ex-
pressed the opinion that the United
States should do nothing to lay
herself open TO the charge Of "edg-
ing in" on the treaty.
IF the United States did any
thing whatever" one official said,
Ito cause other nations to suspect
she was unwilling to live up to the
letter and spirit of the treaty, 1t
not only would destroy the good ef-
fects Of the Washington conference,
but would also endanger the chances
of success in any future confer
ence on the limitation Of arma-
ment."