Evening star., 1935-07-23
The End of Ratios.

1t is too early to forecast its eventual
effects on naval armaments, but it is
certain that the action just announced
by the British government ends the sys-
TEN of ratios established by the Wash
ington Conference of 1921 20. If the
future size of fleets is to be subject to
limitation, restriction must take some
other form than quotas such as have
prevailed for the past thirteen years.
The disquieting possibility has to be
faced that the world is on the threshold
of another costly competition in sea
ornaments.
Addressing the House of Commons on
Monday, Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell, first
lord of the admiralty, revealed that
Britain has definitely abandoned the
ratio as the yardstick for determining
proportionate strength of navieS. In
its place the British propose a system OF
programs" Each power would be asked
TO state what size navy it wants by 1912.
All replies, Sir Bolton explained, would
be pooled" and an attempt made in
1912, at a general conference, ito &C
commodate these various programs so as
to provide adequate strength for each
country, whereby it would be made ex-
tremely unlikely that any nation could
attack with ultimate success" If, by
agreement, any such understanding could
be achieved, the British think some
thing unparalleled" will have been ar
rived at for the taxpayers OF all coun-
tries. with corresponding contribution
to "the general pacif1cation OF the
world"
On its face, Britain's remuneration OF
the ratio which fixes the respective
strengths of her own, the American and
Japanese Navies on the 5-5-3 basis,
effective until December 81, 1886, is on
all fours with Japan's abrogation OF the
Washington treaty at the end OF last
year. The first lord of the admiralty
indicates that Britain'S action is the
direct outcome of the japanese annul-
ment. 1t is taken with regret, Sir Bol-
ton declared, but is inevitable, because
some of the other countries concerned
consider the ratios an aspersion upon
their honor-an official badge of in
feriority. The reference is probably not
only to Japan, but also to France and
italy. which resent quotas below those
allotted to the three principal naval
powers. If all idea of limitation is not
to be given up, the British are per-
s1aded that some method other than
ratios must be devised.
Unless craftsmanship can promptly
evolve some Stop-gap procedure, 1t looks
very much as if unrestricted naval build
ing would be the rule from now until
1912. The United States has planned to
complete its treaty navy by that year.
But the British project program OF
seventy cruisers, instead of the twenty
assigned them by treaty, and now IN
all likelihood will proceed to lay them
down. Japan, on her part, is bent upon
providing herself with feet the equal
in strength, respectively, of the British
ana American NdNIcS. IL DllcnhA 0NAA~AS
more cruisers, the United States, in
accord with the parity program, will be
required to expand its construction ac-
cordingly, and Japan will probably fol-
low suit. This country, whether ratio"
or program limitation is to be the
rule, is welded to the principle Of equal
ity with Britain and substantial superb
ority over Japan. That France, Italy
and Germany will take commensurate
hand in future navy building is hardly
to be questioned.
1t is far from reassuring outlook
that the death knell of ratios signals.
Hopes of a 1885 conference to salvage
the situation are apparently blasted.