The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-21
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,
Serinps- Howard Foreign Editor


Sorpps-Howard Foreign Editor
Even a ship-for-ship and ton-for-
ton equality with the British navy
would leave the United States far
behind in actual sea power.
Sea power, all authorities agree,
IS not merely a matter of fighting
hips. but Of naval bases strategetic-
ally placed, and of an adequate sup
porting merchant marine as well.
When 1t comes to naval bases and
merchant marine tonnage, the
United States is not in it with Bri-
train. Were the navies of the two
countries to stand each other off, or
send each other to the bottom, Brit
am still could trim America by
utilizing her merchant ships as
cruisers.
or. if both the navies and the
merchant ships of the two countries
we're balanced equally, Britain
would continue to hold an advan-
tage. thanks to her naval bases IN
every quarter Of the globe.
Merchant Vessels Fight
To begin. take the matter OF mer-
chant ships. During the World
war, Britain made use of seventy
seven such craft as converted cruis-
ers. each mounting six-inch guns,
and they gave mighty good
account Of themselves. The whole
British Tenth cruiser squadron was
mostly merchant vessels trans
formed into fighters.
The latest Brassey's Naval and
Shipping Annual indicates total
of 22.5O4,0O0 tons of merchant
ships at Britain's beck and call,
whereas only 11.154,000 tons are
similarly available to the United
States.
Experts differ as TO the minimum
size a merchant ship may be and
still be useful as a converted cruiS-
er, but 1000 tons seems about the
bottom figure. At this reckoning
Britain could draw on 1851 and
America $50.
II 5000 tons is considered the
minimum, then Britain could mus
ter 424 merchant ships as against
Americas 143. If 10000-ton ships,
and above, are regarded as the
most useful. the Army and Navy
Journal states that we could round
up only fifty, while Britain would
have 226.
Many Could Not Be Spared
IT,, 4t,;- Ioo- Mt +oU +I,a whole.
story, for it IS not so much queS-
ton CT how many merchant ships a
nation has at its disposal in time OF
peace as it is of how many it could
spare as auxiliaries in time of war.
To make this palmer, most OF
Britain's trade is carried on in her
own bottoms. Only 80 per cent Of
Americas trade is so carried. The
rest is carried by foreign craft
which, i'm war time, likely would be
withdrawn, in which case a doubt
full number of our own merchant
ships could be spared for use as
fighters, because it is vital that the
economic life of the nation must
be kept going. too.
In naval bases America IS hope
lessly outdOne. She has but two of
consequence outside home waters.
in Panama and in Hawaii The
Manila base does not count, since,
under the treaty of Washington, it
mays not be improved and by the
same token Guam and Samoa stand
abolished.
British bases. however. girdle the
world like a chain. The sun never
sets on Britain'S flag flying above
her outposts. Gibraltar, Malta. Port
Said. Suez, Port Sudan. Alden, Port
Louis, Capetown and st. Helena lit
orally put a ring around Africa,
while Bombay. Colombo. Trincolee.
Rangoon, Singapore, Wei-hei-wei,
King George Sound Sydney and
Auckland make stepping stones for
the British bulldog clear across the
Indian ocean to the Far East and
Australia.
Bases in North America
Hong Kong. likewise. might be
mentioned. for although it falls
within the same zone as Manila.
unnke Mdlllld- II II eQuipptu "
service the biggest ships that float.
Then. right at our doors are the
bases at Halifax. Esquimalt. Ber-
muda, Kingston and Port Castries
and. guarding Cape Horn, is Port
Stanley.
True. all these are not Gibraltars
or SingaporeS. But Britain controls
them and there is nothing to him
der her from converting them into
first-class bases if and when she
feels so inclined. America has no
such opportunity, even If she
wanted it, since she lacks the neceS-
Sary sites.
To achieve arms limitations, Pre-
mier Macdonald said. each nation
first must manifest a willingness to
csde something to the others. and
to take a chance. Obviously Amer
lea is living up to this qualification.
for. even granted absolute parity in
naval tonnage, she still will remain
vastly inferior TO Britain as a sea
power.