Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-16

/
discussion and agitation over the
! question of whether the London
- Conference foreshadows reduc-
| ton or expansion in American
naval strength discussion greatly
stimulated by the recent statement OF
| Secretary Stimson-that it Is perhaps
worth while once for all to look into the
statistics.
At the present moment the United
States has built and is building-appro-
! priated for and authorized-1 ,210, 000
| tons of warcraft. This figure is exclu-
sive of 10000 tons Of submarines and
destroyers which have been put on the
J disposal list. It is also exclusive of
| $4,000 tons of old cruisers, including the
New York of Spanish War fame. These
ships are excluded from all naval lists
because they have long passed the 20
year age limit which is the scrapping
point.
This estimate does include all ton
/ mage which would exist If we carried out
| the 15-cruiSer bill, although 10 Of these
| big boats have not yet been appropriated
| for. 1t may fairly be accepted, then, as
! just estimate of the Navy we should
have had there been no conference at
all.
Now over against this total must be
placed figures which we have presented
| to the Naval Conference. These amount
| to 1,136,000 tons. There is then here an
| apparent reduction not of zoo, 900 tons
as Mr.. Stimson forecast the other night
but of 74,000 tons. But, in fact, there Is
| little likelihood of this, for Japan Is in
| sisting on a submarine tonnage which
| is certain to force us to add at least
| Ga, 600 tons to our vessels in the Subma-
rine and destroyer category.
To Be Rearrangement.
For all practical purposes, then, oul
Navy after the conference, assuming
that treaty is made, will be practically
identical in size with the existing feet
! This, to be sure, is only true on the as.
sumption that we should in any CASE
have built 100, 900 tons of the unfinished
15-cruiser bill.
There is then to be no reduction Of
the American feet as consequence Of
the conference. What is to take place
is a rather striking Encouragement Of
! categories. Thus we are to drop 10000
! tons of battleships and 1900 tons Of
destroyers and add $1,000 tons Of
cruisers, As, 900 tons of airplane carrier;
and some 10000 tons Of submarines.
If, however, you measure the proSpec'
tive fleet by our actual strength, includ
ing only ships built and in process O.
construction, then our present totals
but 100000 against the conferenc,
figure of 100000.
1t remains now to explain severa
items. The reduction in battleships 1
the result of common agreement b.
all the powers not to build new battle
ships for five years, and of the British
Japanese and ourselves to scrap undo
the Washington ratio, the British Civ
ing up five ships, the Americans thre
and the Japanese one.
Capital ships already obSolescen
would automatically disappear befor'
1886, and with their disappearance tn
three fleets come down to the Wash
ington figure for capital ships o
15-15-9.
Cruisers are the real nub of the sit
uation. At the moment we have 170,'
600 tons built and building in 20 ships
the British have 327,0 900 in 81 boats. Al
the Rapidan, Macdonald proposed tt
Hoover that the agreed figure be 339 ,00(
against $4,000, we to have 18 big boatc
against is for the British, we having
more big ships, the British more ton.
| mage. To carry out this program, how
ever, involves the building not only Of
all tonnage involved in the 15-cruisel
bill, but of $4,000 additional. Here In
reality is the point where the cost
parity has to be paid.
Additional Plane Carriers.
In the matter of airplane carriers
the British desired to reduce to 100000
TONS but we are holding out for 135, 00C
tons, the limit of the Washington treaty
and this involves the construction OF
$4,000 tons additional. In submarines