Evening star., 1924-06-02

range, they would keep in safety,
ger. while they demolished cur ves-
sells; or II perchance any Of our Ave
of equal gun-power came into the
battle, the British vessels excess
speed OF to 10s knots would make
their escape certain.
Mr.. Hector Bywater, one of the
foremost naval critics OF England.
said in an article published recently
in the Baltimore Sum:
Speaking as one who has studied
the Washington naval treaty as
closely as any one, ! have no hesita-
tion In saying that tho United States
could increase the elevation of the
guns Of it's older battleships without
spirit Of the treaty. Discussion ion
on this point is really superfluous. in
view of the we'll known fact that
both France and Japan have recon-
structed their capital ships along
these lines during the last two
years."
The impression holds in some
quarters that the disarmament con-
ference required a lessening OF COM
petition between nations in all
Glasses of naval vessels, whereas that
decrease applied only to capital bat
tleships and airplane carriers, leav-
ing the competition open as to sub
marines and cruisers. The United
States Navy at that time was espe-
cially strong in battleships and def
Client In cruisers. This resulted seri-
ously in the amount of scrapping re-
quired by the United States, as COM
pared with the British and Japanese
navies, as has been stated by Rear
Admiral H. S. Knapp, U. S. N, in
ha
"In the following comparison" said
Admiral Knapp. the American tom
mage scrapped will be used as the
basis, reckoned as 100 per cent, and
States Great Britain and Japan in
each instance. Considering total
capital ship tonnage scrapped. the
percentages are 100. 50 and SO.
This is the comparison usually
stressed in non-technical comment,
includes for all three nations a num-
ber of superannuated ships due al
ready, or about to become due, for
scrapping. The fairest comparison is
based upon new tonnage laid down;
plus that about to be laid down, and
for which expense had been incurred
In the preparation Of the material.
On this basis the respective per-
centages were 100, % and 46.
r. X v X
Not only in vessels was tho Amer
fcan Navy crippled disproportionately
by the disarmament conference, but
by a. shrewd trade" made by Japan
in the matter of the status quo of
coaling and supply stations in the
western half of the Pacific Ocean.
Rear Admiral Knapp is again quoted:
Article XIX provided: The United
States, the British empire and Japan
agree that the status quo at the time
of the signing of the present treaty,
with regard to Notifications and
naval bases, shall be maintained in
their respective territories and pos
sessions specified hereunder"
Rear Admiral Knapp comments:
When the specifications are read, all
the territories and possessions to
which they refer are seen to be in
thing insular that Japan holds now
or may acquire outside of Japan
proper: 1t includes our Aleutian Is
lands and everything insular. present
or future. under our flag west Of the
Hawaiian Islands. and it includes
Hongkong and present or future in
sular holdings of the British en-
pire east of 110 degrees east longi-
tude. except the Canadian Islands,
Zealand. 1t will be noted that the
language of the article is 'fortifica-
tions and naval baseS-not fortifi-
cation of naval bases.'"
A navy without bases, safely forti-
fed, is as useless as a gun without
ammunition. We cannot fortify
beyond present defenses, anv Of our
western Pacific holdings, but Japan
can make her mainland as strong as
she will. Japan is now building
twelve cruisers and thirty-seven sub
marineS-Some submarines larger
than any in existence. and with a far
wider cruising range. Secretary of
the Navy Wilbur says: "In cruisers
and light cruisers the United States
rates third with England and Japan
with a ratio of Sal.
Copyright, 1924 by Paul V. Collins.)