AMERICAN FLEET

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 61, 9 September 1921, Page 10

AMERICAN FLEET

STRENGTH IN PACIFIC

INCREASING NAVAL TONNAGE

REORGANISATION SCHEME.

If the Americans realised what small concern has been exhibited by the general public in this country in the great scheme-of naval expansion to which they are devoting hundreds of millions of dollars, they would be greatly reassured as they glance forward into the future, writes Archibald Hurd, in the London Daily Telegraph. For the American shipbuilding programme., adopted in 1916, and now approaching completion, has excited .singularly little interest on this, side of the Atlantic, though it is known that in two years or so the United States battle fleet will displace about one-third more water than our own, and that displacement is some index to fighting power. We have gone on our way much as though there was not an American warship afloat; we have abandoned the two-Power standard; we have not laid the keel of a single capital ship for over five years: we have cut down our per-' sonnel rigidly; we have reduced the number of capital ships in commission from thirty-eight £o sixteen; and we have recalled cruisers which were on^ duty in distant waters. Whatever defects we may exhibit in international affairs, it certainly cannot be suggested that the expansion. of the American fleet has excited either envy or ill-will in this country, or h-as prompted ins ibo entei upon.."a new -phase of naval .rivalry. It would be well if these sentiments of goodwill and trust were more generally, reflected' iv the words and actions fV what is no doubt a minority of politicians in' the United States. When Mr. Josaphus Daniels was Secretary for the Navy he made, a number of statements to Congress with reference to the British fleet which ware demonstsably untrue, but his purpose was transparent, and they caused little ■annoyance. When he. retired there was reason to hope that the efforts to misrepresent this country's naval intentions would cease. .Unfortunately, however, the suggestion is made by members o£ Congress from time to time that, while protesting- our desire for a limitation of naval armaments, we are going on building, which is, 'of course, untrue. Nor is that, all. Only the other day a representative Congressman—the chairman of an important committee of the House of; Representatives—stated stated that, "besides the "eight battleships being built in Japan, England is building for Japan four more, which •will make a total of twelve super-Dread-noughts, besides eight fast cruisers." There is, it course, no foundation for that statement. But how an the Americans to know that? Another .illustration of the creation of a false impression was famished . recently by a largely-ciroul-ajted newspaper which came out with th-e headline, "Two More Huge Jap Warships; New Menace to America." How were the Americans to know from the scare article by Mr. Craser Schornstbeimer fchat the "fewo further battleships of the largest dimensions" which were said to have been just laid down in Japan were two battleships which were begun about two years ago, of which full particulars appeared in the last issue of Brassey's Naval and Shipping1 Annual? One of the blessings' which will flow from the Disarmament Conference at Washington will be that fact' will be sifted from fancy, and many rumours and suspicions inimical to- 'a- peaceful atmosphere in"- the world" will be banished. PROBLEM OF DOCKS. As art illustration of the extent to which opinion is coloured by a misunderstanding of facts, we have aga.in the belief, generally current in this country and shared throughout Europe, that the whole American fleet has been concentrated in the Pacific. Some months ago, it is true, all the battleships in commission under the American ensign were concentrated in the Pacific for joint exercises. When these were concluded, the Atlantic fleet returned to its normal cruising area. There was nothing in this . incident of an aggressive character; it was merely a very commonplace event without political or other significance. Those who are familiar with the Pacific know, indeed, that it is a physical impossibility for the American fleet to be concentrated in that ocean, except for a very short period, owing to the absence of facilities foi the docking and repair and revictualhng of ships. That disability will be removed ..in time, for bases are to.be created. But, even then, the situation will be wanting in those dramatic features on which scares flourish. The Pacific is a great deal more than a lake. It is a distance of 4500 miles from San Francisco to /okohama, and the capital ship which can steam 4500 miles and arrive at/ her destination in a condition to fight, and then return home, if she is not sunk, has not yet been built. The scaremonger must be patient. The time may come when the United States will have ample bases in the Pacific for all its men-of-war; but the Pacific Ocean wil) remain the greatest water area of which man has any knowledge; its extent is nearly 70,000,000 square miles. When reference is made to the Pacific having become "the centre of naval gravity," it is well to remember that the centTe.-is a very extensive one! There is nothing sensational, though a good deal which is suggestive, about what is happening in the Pacific. Under the naval programme which was sanctioned by Congress in 1916, sixteen capital ships—ten-of them battleships and six battle-cruisers—are being built, together with ten light cruisers and a large number of torpedo craft, besides auxiliaries. Some of these ships are now nearing completion, and the Navy Department has recently decided what use shall be made of them. The plans involve a redistribution of the existing capital ships of the American fleet. The idea is to assign, all the older coal-burning ships to the Atlantic, and to send the newer vessels, which bum oil, to the Pacific, where oil can be obtained at about one-third the price which is asked on the Atlantic coast. That economy may be regarded as incidental to naval policy and not as govern-' ing it, for the oil-burning ships are the powerful vessels which are just being completed—ships mounting 16, in guns, carrying an enormous weight of armour, possessing high speed, and embodying all the lessons taught by the Battle of Jut; land. We are rather proud of our Queen Elizabeths, which displace 27,500 tons ; the American sßips which are abont to pass into commission range from 32,600 tons to upwards of 43,000 tons, and whereas there is not a single ship in the British Fleet mounting the 16in gun, or indeed a single vessel embodying the lessons of Jutland, all these American ships' will carry, loin guii3. \ A NEW NAVAL POLICY. Under the reorganisation scheme the New York, Texas, Wyoming, and Arkansas will be transferred from the Atlantic to the Pacific Fleet, the battleship Utah, of 25,825 tons, being despatched across the Atlantic, to act as flagship iii Europear water.?.. Under the .reorganisation scheme the two main fleets of the United States will be- composed during the, next fc.v months of the following capital ships : Pacific Kleet. California, and Tennessee : Displacement, • 32.600 tons; speed, 21 knots; main gun*, twelve 14-inch. Idaho, Mississippi, and New Mexico :'

Displacement, 32,000 tons; speed, 21 knots; main guns, twelve 14-inch Arizona: Displacement, 31,400 tons; : speed, 21 knots; main guns, twelve 14-inch . Oklahoma and Nevada : . Displacement, 27,500 tons; speed, 20£ knots; main guns, ten 14inch Atlantic Fleet. Pennsylvania : Displacement, 31,400 . tons'; speed, 21 knots; main guns, . twelve ' 14-inch New York and Texas: Displacement, " 27,000 tons; speed, 21^-knots; main guns, ten 14-inch Arkansas and Wyoming : Displacement, 26,000 tans ; speed, 204 knots; main guns, twelve 12-inoh Florida: Displacement, 21,800 tons; speed, 22 knots; main guns, ten, 12-inch ■ Delaware* and North Dakota*: Displacement, 20,000 tons; speed, 21^ knots; main guns, ten 12-inch IV> *The two last-named wil' shortly be ■placed out of commission for repairs. . ; This scheme marks the first stage in the redistribution of the American fleet in view of the progress which is being made in the sixteen, new capital ships and other vessels.. .If is apparent that the older and less powerful vessels will be retained in the Atlantic, and that the naw 16-inch gun ships, as they are commissioned, are intended for service in the Pacific. Moreover, the Pacific is to be the future- training ground of the American navy. It is officially announced that the two fleets will bs concentrated for a period of three months, shortly after Christina'!; for combined training and tactical operations. If, as seems probable, the exercises are held in tha Pacific,, the occasion will mark the assembly of the greatest naval force ever seen in those wateTS.