Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-26
BIT G. GOULD LINCOLN.

ultimatum, the American delegation
has stood firmly to it's proposal for an
extension of the principles of the
Washington naval treaty TO auxiliary
craft. The plans submitted by the
British and the Japanese, as we'll as
the Americans, have been carefully
analyzed. The first maneuvers OF the
sconferees have taken place. Sugges-
lions of compromise are in the air.
suhe real work of the conference is
vet to come.
Arguments advanced in British and
Japanese circles favoring special treat
ment for those nations in the matter
Of auxiliary naval craft because OF
far.fiung possessions and the fact they
are island empires have failed to
shake the reasonable demand of the
United States that the 5-5-S naval
ratio be extended to cover all naval
craft
Propaganda designed to prove the
need of greater naval strength on the
mart of Great Britain than the United
States is not unlike the propaganda
which has continued since this coun-
try built it's wartime merchant ma
rine 10 show that the British should
be supreme on the seas.
Challenge British Stand.
at the naval conference that Britain
snecial position in the world, as 1t re-
lafes to trade lines, communications
and food supplies, entities her to
preferential position in the matter of
naval strength, is challenged in Amer
lean quarters, and properly so.
The national wealth of the United
States is over S480 900 zoo 600. Its
population is much in excess OF no.
900 900. 1t has the largest export trace
In the worlds SOC. O00, 900 in a single
year This is larger by several nun.
dred millions of dollars than that of
Great Britain, the nearest competitor.
There Is, too, the great coastWise
trade of the United States to be con-
sidered. In the event of war, this
coastwise trade must be protected, and
protection will require much naval
strength. The coastwise trade is
over long lines of communica-
ton. In itself, it is so per cent
greater than the foreign trade of
Great Britain. 1t is carried on IN
ocean steamers. This trade is nankeo
by naval bases of other countries, par
ticularlv by naval bases of the British.
From New England to Alaska, via the
Panama Canal. is well.nigh as far
as from Engla nd to Australia. The
external possessions of the United
States and it's investments abroad,
shipping and other trade facilities
overseas, aggregate nearly So0,000,-
100000.
Greater Strength Needed.
The United States now has a ma
tionai wealth superior to any other
country. and has foreign trade and
investments second to none. Yet the
British maintain that it does not re-
ol1ire naval strength equal to their
own. The United States is lacking
In naval bases and fuel stations that
are available to Great Britain, and
markedly inferior in merchant ma
rine when compared to Britain. III
the United States is really to be on
parity with Great Britain in the
matter -of protection of its people and
it's interests, it SHOULD have naval
strength even greater than that of
Britain There is little use blinking
this fact.
Yet the British have gone into the
Geneva naval conference with pro-
posals for reducing the size of cruisers
from 10000 to 1900 tons, and reducing
the caliber of guns on cruisers from
s-inch to e-inch. This proposal re-
duces the operating radius of the
cruiser and gives the British the op.
- pUElubilF VI It's great meet
of swift merchant vessels into
cruisers. armed with as heavy guns
fs Americas cruisers, in the event
of war. The British have proposed an
equality with the United States in
the matter of 10,000-ton cruisers, but
not in regard to cruisers of less ton.
mage. In the next breath they have
proposed that the 10.000-ton cruiser.
shall only be replaced by 7,50O.ton
cruisers.
Have Many Naval Bases.
II Is Of vital importance that naval
vessels have opportunity to refuel at
frequent intervals in the event of war.
The British Empire has a. huge num-
her OF ports and naval bases, some of
them heavily fortified. where their
ships may obtain fuel oil. The United
states, on the other hand, has a mere
handful outside continental United
States.
To get down to brass tacks in this
matter. the following Is list of
British fueling and naval bases. ex.
elusive OF the British Isles, covering
routes Of ship travel into various
parts of the world:
i. En- route TO the Far East-Gibral-
tar, Malta, Alexandria, Egypt; Port
said, suez Canal; Suez, Suez Canal:
Port Sudan, Red Sea; Perrin Island,
Red Sea; Alden, Red Sea: Karachi.
India; Bombay, India: Cochin. India;
Tuticosn, India; Colombo. India (Cey-
lon)i Trincomalee, India (Ceyiont;
Madras. India; Cocanada, India; Cal.
wMStA. INDIA; Chittagong, India; Ran
S7cd, India: Singapore, Malay PENN
sdla; Miri. Borneo; Hongkong, China;
Canton, China; Freemantle, Australia:
Adelaide. Australia; Melbourne, Aus
Srsfia; Sydney. Australia Auckland.
New Zealand; wellington, New Tea
land.
2. Route around Africa-Freetown
Sierra Leone; Capetown, Union OF
South Africa; Simonstown. Union of
South Africa: Durham. Union of South
Africa; Mombss a. Xenya.
3. Route to Caribbean Sea-Halifax
Nova Scotia: Yarmouth. Nova Scotia !;
st. Johns, New Brunswick; Bermuda,
Jridgetown. Barba dos: Port au Prince
Trinidad; Kingston. Jamaica.
4. Route along st. Lawrence River
and Great Lakes-Quebec, Quebec;
Lewis. Quebec; Montreal Quebec;
Toronto. Ontario; Hamilton. On
tsrio; Sarnia, Ontario; Fort William,
Ontario.
5. Miscellaneous-West Coast. Cam
ada--Prince Rupert, British Columbia;
kSquiflldulI. bFltlSn 1OluHnD1dt VIC.
toria, British Columbia; Vancouver,
British Columbia. South Atlantic
Port Stanley. Falkland Islands.
United States Has Few.
The fuel oil stations under the
American flag, outside continental
United States. are: San Juan and
Ponce. Porto Rico; st. Thomas, Vir-
gin Islands; Colon and Balboa. Canal
Zone: Honolulu, Hawaii; Manila,
Iloilo and Cebu. Philippine Islands:
Ketchikan and Seward, Alaska (small