REDUCTION OF NAVIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18279, 21 December 1922, Page 9

REDUCTION OF NAVIES.

WASHINGTON PROGRAMME.

EXECUTION BY POWERS.

00 PER CENT. UNDERTAKEN. By Telesraph—Press Associn.tiou—Copyright. (Received 8.5 p.rr..) A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON*, Dec. 19. The Secretary of the Navy. Mr. K. Den by, submitted a report to the House of Representatives showing that virtually 90 per cent, of the demolition and rendering of vessels unfit for, war duty, prescribed by the Washington Naval Treaty, has been completed, or is in process of completion, by the various signatory nations. Britain and the United States have virtually carried out the complete programme. Japan is holding sonic hulls ready for destruction, which will be carried out as soon as the treaty is ratified bv all the Powers.

U.S. NAVAL WEAKNESS.

ADMIRAL SIMS ALARMED.

SURE OF DEFEAT IN WAR. A. and N.Z. NFAV YORK, Dec. 19.

Admiral Sims, in the course, of a speech to-day. said that the United States had been hamstrung in the Pacific and nailed down in the Atlantic. Any nation could take the Philippines and Guam without, the United States being able to prevent it. He declared that because Congress would not appropriate the money to defend those islands, and Japan was fortifying her islands, it was considered that the best way out was to have both sides quit. The deficiency in the American naval personnel was such that ships allowed under the 5 5-3 ratio were only 70 per cent, manned, ths consequence being that the Navy was sure to be defeated in time of war.

The United States was also deficient in smaller ships, and in fast merchant marine. He. warned the nation, that the only way to get a fair deal in foreign trade was to have a sufficient force to gain respect, because the nations were not honest with each other.