COMPOSITE WARSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 19128, 21 December 1925, Page 14

COMPOSITE WARSHIP

PROPOSAL FOB BRITAIN

COHORT OF AEROI’LA NFS,

LONDON, December 8. Sir George Thurston managing director of the Forth Lugiiieciing and Shipbuilding Co,, Ltd., mid naval director ol Vickers, Ltd., in an .uticle in ‘Brassey’s Annual,’ proposes the construction of a novel -composite capital ship to supersede, battleships and aircra|Vcarrie.rs by combining tho features of both. Tho proposed vessel won id carry thirlv scouting, bombing, and torpedoing aircraft, six Kiin guns, and ton 4.7’5. Its vital regions would carry ]6in and 12in armor, and with 28,000 tons displacement and a, speed ol 2(i.V knots it would carry almost as much artillery and aircraft as Hie battleship Nelson and tho latest aircrait-earrier, the Eagle, combined. Tho ship would bo faster than cither, as well ns cheaper, because it would'’ bo 7,000 tens smaller than tho Nelson. The IGin guns would be mounted forward, leaving tho rest of the deck free for aeroplanes te iiy off and alight. The vessel would bo without funnels, horizontal pipes carrying the smoke over the .side. Its all-round utility would give it a. superiority over the con volitional battleships and aircraftcarriers because its high speed would enable it to avoid the slow oattleships which the Washington Treaty authorised, although its big guns would give, it, tho power for fighting if necessary. Its cohort of aeroplanes would ho a defence against hostile aircraft and also permit of bombing or torpedoing an enemy vessel. It would abolish tho vulnerability of aircraftcarriers, which would bo an easy prey to cruisers. Sir George says thore is nothing in tho Washington Treaty to interdict tho building of such ships. Lieuto na n t.-Oo mman de r Keuwo rth y. Liberal M.P. for Kingston-on-llull, says George Thurston’s ship would bo too big, expensive, and clumsy, it would he" better to build smaller and faster aircraft-carriers, but it was even more important, ho said, to concentrate on the construction of super-seaplanes, capable of staying a week with tho fleet and carrying six 21 in torpedoes. The cost of one composite ship would provide 000 super-seaplanes. Mr C. Ammon, Labor ALP. for Camberwell, said the construction of composite shins would scrap the M. ashingtou Treaty and plunge the world into a now race in armarnents.

The ‘Daily News’ remarks that the fact that Sir George Thurston's proposed ship, being 30,000 tons less displacement than the NeL'ou and tlw Eagle combined, would defeat the limitation provisions of the "Washington Treaty, thus shoving tho hopelessness of attempting to limit armaments on a tonnage basis. “ There cannot be half-nionsurcs about, disarmament,” says Hie paper. “ It must he peace or war, ami if it is to he war. we can have no use for haggling ;uul .subtle distinctions.”