THE AMERICAN FLEET

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 26, 31 January 1930, Page 9

THE AMERICAN FLEET

BRITAIN WELL BEHIND

THE YARDSTICK MEASURE

(From "TKe Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 23rd December.

Speaking in tho House of Lords, Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty declared that it was tho responsibility of the Admiralty to provide a sufficient strength to protect tho sea communications and tho trade routes and to protect our colonies and dependencies overseas. It was a responsibility not only to the Government but also to the Empire, and for that reason tho country required to know that nothing had been done, or was being done, or would bo done at tho Naval Conference which would in any way weaken the- hands of the Admiralty in carrying out their heavy burden.

Britain's cruiser programme for 1928----29 was not being carried out, a.nd her cruiser strength was reduced from 70 to 59. The situation was indeed serious. Britain was entering upon the Naval Conference with an extremely low limit of cruiser tonnage. Moreover, there was nog indication that proper provision was being made to maintain "even tho reduced figure and tonnage. It was not surprising that there was apprehension and dismay among those who could-not understand how parity in cruisers could be arrived at unless it was to be parity having regard to the commitments and obligations of each nation. Thero was no nation whose naval commitments and obligations were so great and so complicated as those of tho British Empire. Lord Thomson (Air Minister), replying, said tho naval policy of the Government so far as the security of the Empire was concerned had not been altered in one single point. It was to provide for tho absolute security of the British Empire in all its aspects. The object of tho coming Conference'

was to achieve a reduction of armaments. If it failed to do that it would bo entirely abortive. THE GERMAN FLEET. "I learn," writes the diplomatic correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," "that in the course of preliminary conversations on naval disarmament the French Government has raised the question of the small but powerful navy which Germany is now building within the limits of the Versailles Treaty. In fact, the existence, actual or prospective, of this German fleet, with its 10,000-ton 'pocket battleships,' armed with six lliu guns apiece, is being adduced by France as one reason the more why she feels bound to reject the Italian claim to parity with the Fr.eneh Navy. This French argument, if strongly pressed, would threaten the coming Five-Power Conference in London with a very serious complication, over and above those previously feared. "For, the Eeich not being represented at the London Conference, it might be contended by France that she could not agree to the fixing of her own naval strength with any finality until the later "World Conference on all-round disarmament, of which Germany would bo a member. France, indeed, had previously suggested that tho London Conference should not be empowered to take binding decisions, but merely to make recommendations to the Preparatory Disarmament Commission and the World Conference in question." Remarkable- revelations are made by the naval correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph." From the standpoint of American big-Navy interests, a searching inquisition that has boon going on for months into the combatant strength and resources of tho leading navies has had one unexpected and very disconcerting result. "It has established," says the "Daily Telegraph" correspondent, "the fact that in most of the important elements of sea power tho United States Navy, so far from being below the Washington Treaty -ratio, is well above that scale, and is, in effect, vastly superior to the British Navy in every category save that of small cruisers." AMERICA'S GREAT STRENGTH." Hero are some of tho facts revealed by the "yardstick" investigation:— 1. The United States battle fleet of eighteen capital ships is the only completely oil-burning fleet in the world, which gives it an immense advantage over all others in respect of steaming radius and strategical, homogeneity. It is the only fleet of which every proJutland unit has been, or is being, extensively reconstructed, bulged, and modernised to embody war experience. It mounts 192 heavy turret-guns, as against the IG6 corresponding guns mounted in the British Fleet. 2. The United States cruiser fleet, actually built and building, comprises twenty-threo ships of post-war design. In the British Navy there are only fifteen post-war ships. Of Sin guns, which American naval experts aekuowledge to bo the most formidable weapons after battleship guns, the American Navy carries 105 in fifteen ships (including two aircraft carriers), and the British Navy only 116 (including two Australian cruisers). Consequently, in heavy-calibre ordnance, from Bin to lGin, the American Navy has a clear margin of forty-five guns. The "yardstick" further shows that in tho Gin gun cruiser class the British Navy has not a single ship to compare with the ten American vessels of the Omaha group. .3. Even, moro striking are the disclosures relating to .America's overwhelming superiority in destroyers, submarines, and naval aircraft, all of •which are covered by the "yardstick" formula. At the present moment tho United States has 270 destroyers and the British Empire 1(30 (including eighteen boats building). In armament, however, the American boats are so ; superior to ours that the mere totals convey no true idea of the relative position. Tho 270 American destroyers carry 2468 torpedo tubes, while the British flotilla mounts only 884 tubes. On this point the United States Naval Institute Proceedings, a semi-official monthly organ, makes a significant admission. "British, Japanese French, and Italian destroyers in general," it writes, "mount only sis torpedo,tubes, whereas ours mount twelve. The ratios of destroyers possessed by the loading naval Powers are about as follows: — United States 10, Great Britain 7, Japan 3. Thus, in torpedo power, we have a preponderance according to the following ratios:—United States 10, Great Britain 3.5, Japan 1.5. In other words, in this offensive weapon we have almost three times the strength of our nearest rival." 4. In submarine tonnage and armament American superiority is almost equally pronounced. There are 124 American submarines armed with 51U torpedo tubes, as against 63 British boMs "with 383 tubes. Of the heavy ocean-going type of submarine, suitable for long-range cruising, America has 62, the British Empire 47. Outside naval circles, few people in the United States were aware of the enormous strength of their navy in gun-power, torpedo vessels, and submarine-craft. The disclosures resulting from the "yardstick" inquiry will be a severe blow to the big-navy propaganda. AIRCRAFT EATIO. 5. In the application of air-power to naval uses the United States is so far ahead of other nations that a comparison is hardly practicable. The American Navy now has between 700 and 800 effective aircraft, and will soon possess 1000. The ratio of naval aircraft is now: United States 10, British Empire 1.7., At the present rates of expansion America, by 1932, will have a ton to one preponderance in the naval air-arm. Although air-power was not included in the original "yardstick" formula, it is realised that since aircraft have become an integral part of the fighting equipment of men-of-war this question may be raised by the other delegations at the London Conference. Full statistics bearing on the air strength of the fleets have therefore been prepared. 6. As regards man-power, it has been found that the United States has,1 at present, a personnel of 113,000 naval officers, ratings, and marines, while the British personnel numbers 101,000 (excluding the Dominion fleets).