Evening star., 1934-06-07
SWANSON PLANS
24NAVAL VESSELS
Secretary Takes First Defi-
mite Step Toward
Treaty Strength.

BY the Associated Press.
In the Navy's first definite move
toward treaty strength, Secretary
Swanson yesterday approved plans for
the construction of "a naval vessels.
Fourteen deStroyers and six sub
marines, Swanson said, will be the
first ships built under the VinSon plan
to lay down by 1899 the 102 remain
ing fighting craft permitted by treaty.
They will be constructed with $40
100000 of earmarked public works
funds to be provided in the deficiency
appropriation bill pending in the Sem
ate.
Four Cruisers Planned.
In addition, one heavy and three
light cruisers will be built out of cur
rent appropriat from specifications
approved yesterday. Swanson said the
Navy hoped to open bids some time in
August.
The Secretary's announcement, made
In the interlude before preliminary
naval conversations open June Is in
London, followed a statement by Presi-
dent Roosevelt that no new definition
of naval policy would be made in ad-
vance of the conference.
Any announcement, Mr.. Roosevelt
told the press, will be made at London
by the American spokesmen headed by
Norman H. Davis, Ambassador at
large.
The new destroyerS and submarines
will strengthen the fleet in categories
in which it is most deficient under
treaty limits and in which it has the
largest proportion of over-age ships.
The United States, under teraty, can
lay down before December 81, 1886, 65
destroyers totaling 1900 tons and 30
submarines aggregating $3.50 tons.
The craft for which plans were ap-
proved will bring these totals down to
81 destroyers of about 1880 tons and
"a submarines of around 27,730 tons
still to be built.
OF 251 destroyerS the Navy had
only 3 under age at the beginning of
this year. Thirty-tWo new ones are
building or have been appropriated
for. Forty-six of 83 submarines were
under age January l and were under
construction or appropriated for.
Great Britain Figures.
The Nays latest figures showed
Great Britain had "A destroyers out
of 152 under age at the start of 1884,
36 building or appropriated for and
80 of 81 POI tons still permitted by
treaty Thirty-three out of 50 Brit
ish submarines were under age, II
were building or appropriated for and
5 of 1872 remained to bring the navy
up to treaty limits.
With the completion of vessels now
under construction, Japan will be up
to treaty strength in all classes of
ships
Neither the President nor his Navy
Secretary commented on instructions
given at a White House conference
Tuesday to Rear Admiral Richard
H Leigh, who will sail Saturday for
England as general naval adviser to
Davis. Accompanying Leigh to Lon
don will be Comdr. Theodore S. Will
kinson. Both are members Of the
Navy General Board.
Swanson did repeat. however, that
the Navy considered battleships the
fleets backbone and believed existing
naval ratios should remain unaltered.
With new ships coming into the
feet, Swanson told reporters the Navy
would need more men Navy officials
said a lack of men kept 60 deStroyerS
from the fleet review at New York
May 81. The enlisted personnel of
the Navy now is $500 and the fleet
Is only 85 per cent manned, Swanson
said He estimated a total of $4,000
or 10000 would suffice.