The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-04-24
mo SECRETS is NEW NAVAL THEME
United States Britain and France Sign Pact Inform One Another
of Annual Constructions Italy May Agree.

expected that these lists will be padded"
every year so that the actual loss in any
bargaining ,Uhich follotUs will be Mnin-
pOrtdnt.
Further four months before the keel
of any fighting ship Is laid, all sigma
tories must be duly notified as to its
intended category, Its displacement, di-
mansions, speed designed, type of ma
chinery, type of fuel, accurate number
and caliber of all guns over three
inches, approximate number of guns
under three inches, provision for mine
laying, torpedo tubes and the number
of aircraft which can be carried. When
the keel Is actually laid notice must
Immediately be given, as it must again
when the ship is completed. If during
the construction changes in design of
any ship are altered, notification must
also be given for these changes.
Notification is not necessary upon
ships of the auxiliary type, such as
hospital ships, repair ships, tankers,
transports and the like, or upon craft
of less than 100 tons burden. Ex-
changes of lists Of all such minor ships
are called for, however, when the
treaty goes into effect.
Competition Cost Reduced
The limitations which the treaty i'm
poses upon the sizes Of ships and their
guns are designed to reduce the cost
of competition in naval building, by
making it more uniform. These limita-
tons are modified by number of
escape" clauses which are inserted to
make provisions for extraordinary cir
cumstances, such as war.
Success or failure Of the Information
al" plan depends greatly upon how tUeH
the nations, euen those whO did not sign,
stay within the qualitative limitations OF
the treaty. Should Japan depart drastical-
ly from these limitations in her neto
naval building il is almost certain that
the North Of the treaty would be reduced.
for The United States and Great Britain
are not only agreed to maintain the S.
SO ratio by keeping pace with Japan's
building, but ,oould have to design their
ne,O building programs to Offset the COM
petition in the Far East.
The size limit for battleships remains
at $4,000 tons, because of the need for
that type Of ship in the United States
navy, with its extensive coast lines to
defend; minimum is 1880 tons. Guns
are limited to 14-inch size tentatively;
If Japan's new ships carry 16-inch
There is second category of battle
ships which has been created for the
nations whose purses will not permit
the giant capital ships. This "B" cate
CORY comprises ships of not more than
5000 tons with guns of at least 10-inch
dimension.
Large-Cruiser Holiday"
Under the division of tight surface
vessels" come three classes: (a) Ships
up to 10000 tons carrying S-inch guns;
(b) ships from 5000 to 5000 tons car
rying not over 61-inch guns, and (c)
ships under 5000 tons carrying not
over 5.l-inch guns.
No construction will be permitted be-
tween the minimum of 1850 tons for
capital ships and the top limit of cruis
ers Of 10000 tons. Since holiday"
has been declared on the construction
of 1O,O00-ton cruisers for six years, the
demonstration zone will actually ex-
list between 5000 and 1880 tons. The
United States, which prefers the larger
type of cruiser, will begin building
some of the 10,000-ton class when the
holiday" is over.
The existing treaties declare limit
Of 1850 tons, but this has been hrown
into the discard because France and