CAPITAL SHIPS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1932, Page 3

CAPITAL SHIPS

PROBLEM of the pacific. LONDON, July 12. : Freed of the reparations wrangler between France, and Germany; Europe is: turning with renewed hope to positive; measures of' economic rehabilitation,'., and in l particular to the settlement of the disarmament problem. Reduction of expenditure upon armaments* together with ,the reparations settlement, will,. it is hop'ed, - 'constitute Europe ? s best claim to relief, from t<ie burden of debt to the United States. The eyes of the world are now turning>sr.t6 the Pacific, which is regarded as the crux of the capital ship problem. V ■ ‘ Japan is willing - sympathetically to consider almost any proposals', subject to an: assurance of the retention of the Washington ratio of 3 to 5 to America.. Britain ■ believes that this is feasible, .even if -'it - means reducing capital ships from a maximum of 35,000 tons to' 25.000 tons, and guns from 10in. to 12in. '; ’ : Moreover,* such reductions - would in no way weaken America’s position in the Pacific. She demands big capital ships owing to the absence of bases, but Britain-considers it now practicable to construct 25,000 : t0n capital ships with tbe same cruising radius as 35,-000-ton vessels, ultimately' effecting economies eqlual to the; reduction in the number of bigger ships; - as' President Hoover desires, British experts believe • tha ; L the chief capital ship economies will be achieved by reducing gnu calibre and the size of crews. '■ ‘ It is admitted that.the Hooker proposals aim at instant econortiesy but the British think that long-range economies will eventually be commensurate with Mi* Hoover’s short-range plan. •