The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-19

Difficulty In Changing Own
Equipment Cause of
British Stand.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs


E7 AsfIINGToN, Jan. 19.-The
iWI real, inside secret behind
~ Great Britain's bulldog OPP
position to the elevation of big
guns on American battleships is now
known and is here given to the
readers of this newspaper for the
first time.
The reasons publicly advanced by
London-namely, that the changes
proposed would constitute a VIOLA
ton of the Washington naval treaty
and, secondly, that even were this
not SO to make them would tend
to encourage naval competition
were sonIy,a diplomatic smoke-screen
adroitIy put up to conceal the really
vital ones, which are these:
First, that while the United
States can increase the range Of the
big guns of its fleet by making min
or changes only--changes which in
the opinion of all the powers, save
Britain, would not infringe upon
the terms of the treaty Great
Britain could not follow suit with
out alterations Of major sort con-
sidered barred by the pact.
Would Be Outranged
Second, that even If none of the
powers objected to the extensive al
terations on British ships, anG both
Britain and America made the
change, Britain would then find her
self outranged from one to three
miles by America.
Third, every one of Britain's
twenty-five capital ships can already
fire at an angle of 20 degrees or over,
giving them range of one and a
half to three miles farther than
thirteen OF eighteen of ours whose
angle of fire is only Is degrees She
naturally wishes to retain this
superiority.
Fourth, the cost Of gun elevation
on our ships would not amount to
more than s6.500,000 at the most,
while similar changes on British
ships would cost several times that,
or, it is understood, around $4,000
900 to $40, 100000.
This is due to differences in con-
struction and the necessity Of re-
moving from the ships some of their
side armor. 1t is here that the
alterations would appear to run
counter to the Washington treaty,
which says; mo alteration In side
armor, in gcaliber, number and
general type of mounting of main
armament shall be permitted"
OF the four reasons enumerated
above the first two are the con-
trolling factors. Britain has no In
tention of swapping places with
America if.she can avoid it.
Lmg Range Possibilities
Our FIVE newest ships-the West
Virginia. Colorado, Maryland, Cali
fornia and Tennessee-can fire at
80 degrees and have ranges from
34.50O to $500 yards, or nineteen
to twenty miles. The other thirteen
battleships can fire no higher than
Is degrees. which. limits their range
to between 81 900 and $4,000 yards,
or approximately thirteen miles.
Given an angle of 80 degrees,
however. these thirteen ships could
hurl shell anywhere from 80, 900
to 80, 900 yards, or from one to three
miles farther than the longest range
guns in the British navy firing at
the same anglel
This Is mainly because our guns
have it over the British slightly as
to length. Their maximum range
at so degrees would be about 10000
yards.
There seems to be in Congress
not the slightest ill-feeling against
Great Britain for trying to prevent
the elevation, of our guns. To the
contrary, admiration is expressed
for the subtlety Of her diplomacy
in taking advantage Of American
psychology-our sentimental weak
ness-by appealing to President
Coolidge and Secretary of State
Hughes to drop the project for hui
manitarian reasons.
The attitude Of Congress Is that It
is perfectly all right-if Britain can
get away with it, and also that we
deserve whatever we get IL we let
her do it