Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-16
POST-TREATy SHIPS
UNDER DISCUSSION
Details of Size and Power
of Armament Submitted to
House Committee.

Details of the size and power OF
armament of the first post-treaty
capital ships to be built by Great
Britain were laid before the House
naval subcommittee, yesterday, by
Capt Henry II. Hough, director OF
Naval Intelligence.
The new British battleships. Rodney
and Nelson, $4,000 tons, will carry
nine 16-inch. 5O-caliber, wtre-wound
guns, mounted three to a turret, with
all three turTets in the forward part
of the ship, he said.
These ships will have standard
ttrcaty tonnagel displacement OF
about $1,000 tons Capt. Hough ex-
planned. Their length will be ZOE
feet. Their extreme beam will be
1o6 feet. Their mean draft at stand
ard displs cement will be 80 feet
Their main armament will consist
of 16-inch, 50-caliber, wire-wound
guns in three triple turrets, situat-
ed in the forward part of the ship
There will be no stern fire from these
guns
Secondary Battery Described.
The secondary battery will consist
mounted in pairs in light, closed
turrets. The speed Will be probably
about Il knots. These ships will be
heavily armored. The main belt will
be Ii inches thick. In ad.
dttion, elaborate anti-air and under
water protection will be provided"
Capt. Hough added that the ships
would have d range in excess OF
10000 yards.
Under the Washington treaty these
are the two post-Jutland type bat
tleships England was permitted to
build at once, being required to SCRAP
four of her present ships of the King
George class when the others are
completed next year and put into
commission
DeSIgn of British Craft.
Details of the design of the British
craft were lacking until the testi-
many Of Capt Hough be ore the sub
committee became public. They are
the only battleships which may he
built under the treaty by England
Japan or the United States until the
first replacement craft are laid down
by these three powers in 1881 to be
completed in 1884. France and Italy
each may lay down new $4,000 ton
ship in 1927 and another in 1929.
BY compa rison with the American
1e-inch gun class Slips, the West Vir-
g1nta. Colorado end Msrylsnd, and
the japanese equivalent. Mutsu, the
Rodney and Nelson will be Of greatly
increased size and power The
American ships are 624 feet over all
in length and 100 feet between per-
pend:culars They have a beam of 81
feet and each carries eight 16-inch
guns. These ships displace normally
$1,000 tons. pre-treaty rating. They
have a speed of 81 knots.
Standard Tonnage Discussed.
Under the standard tonnage rule
OF mes surement fixed by the treaty.
the 35,oo0-ton British ships compare
with the equivalent of almost 10000
tons on the same system of measure
1nent as was used in the America n
Navy prior 70 the treaty.
The additional size of the new
British ships, indicated in greater
length and beam, probably is devoted
- intensified underwater protection
against torpedoes and added deck
projection against high-angle gun
fire and aerial bombs. 1t is taken
for granted in naval circles here that
these ships will represent a mark ed
advance over the West Virginia class
in the protective arrangements DEM
onstrated to be necessary by war
experience.