Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-29
10 CRUISERS HELD
NEEDED FOR PARITY
Necessary Under Any Agree
ment With British, U. S.
Experts Hold.
Nv IN. Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The final outcome OF the naval lin
itation discussions now advancing into
a highly technical phase in London Is
expected by American experts to leave
at least two-thirds OF the 15-cruiser
program intact.
AS they see it, at least 10 OF the
contemplated 1O0OO-ton vessels will
have to be built under any arrange
ment which may be reached in carry
ing out the agreement between the
United States and Great Britain on
the principle of absolute equality in
the fighting strength of their naVleS
will all kinds of craft considered.
In postponing the laying of the keels
of three cruisers which were to have
been put down In navy yards next Fall,
it is recalled, President Hoover himself
remarked that generally speaking, the
British cruiser strength considerably
exceeds American strength at the pres
ent time and the actual construction OF
these three cruisers would not be likely
in themselves to produce inequality in
the Anal results"
Problem Of Methods Up.
Construction OF 10 OF the Is cruisers,
it is reasoned, would give the United
States only the 10 Of this class regarded
by high naval officers as essential to
balanced fighting feet necessary to pro-
vide adequate sea defense and protect
American trade lanes and prestige. The
United States then would have in the
cruiser category, besides the lO,OOO-ton
vessels, 10 of 7 500 tons, classed as first
line ships, and 10 of varying tonnage in
the second line, many of which. II
present Navy Department studies lndi-
cate the desirability of such action,
probably will be sold or otherwise dis
posed OF.
Those considerations undoubtedly will
enter directly or indirectly into the new
phase of the London discussions, which,
having passed the point OF agreement
on general British American naval par
ity. were turned today to the problem OF
determining exactly how that Is TO be
attained.
This was the reason for the return
TO London Of Hugh S. Gibson, American
Ambassador TO Belgium, who has head
of this Governments delegation to the
League of Nations Preparatory Dis
armament Commission proposed In
April that the powers formulate new
"yardStick" for measuring the compare
tive strength OF navies as whole.
He has been kept in close touch with
the conversations between Prime Min
lister Macdonald and Ambassador Dawes
ever since he was FIRST called upon to
take part in their discussions some time
ago. and his return TO London was re-
oIested after the parity agreement had
made it Necessary TO begin consideration
of means Of applying the "yardstick'
idea.
Problem Is Complex.
Whereas heretofore naval comparisons
have been based largely on relative ton
Anne rit.an desire Is tn hiring
into consideration such vital elements OF
speed age and gun power OF ships and
other factors. The completely OF that
problem is expected 10 occupy the Brit
ish prime minister and the two Amer
lean Ambassadors Tor some days: but
the adjournment of Parliament, retiev-
ing Macdonald OF some of his activities
is welcomed as facilitating their dis
CuSSiOuS.
Under the tonnage method OF COM
parison, which prevailed when the 1922
arms limitation treaty established Brit
ish-American parity as to capital ships
and aircraft carriers, the disparity in
the cruiser strength of the two gov
ernmeEts Is 30 great that informed
opinion here expects that, no matter
what new factors are brought into CAL
cula tioDs, American construction will
have TO go forward while the British
stop building or scrap number OF
vessels.
Even though President Hoover has
announced a postponement in the lay
ing of the keels of three cruisers to be
built in navy yards, no order has been
issued to stop work on guns and armor
for these ships.
These guns, which could be used on
any of the l0.0O0-ton cruisers, are
being built in navy yards at a normal
rate of speed. fitting in to the schedule
of other work at hand, and their con-
stsuction has not caused any marked
increase in employment.