5

A.—s

United States of America.

Summarizing these lists, the reduced battle fleets of the five Powers are as follows :— Ships. Tonnage. British Empire .. .. .. ..22 580,450 America .. .. .. .. .. 18 500, 650 Japan .. .. .. .. .. 10 301,320 France .. .. .. .. ..10 221,170 Italy .. .. .. .. ..10 182,800 Totals .. ..70 1,786,390 With certain exceptions all other capital ships, whether already built or in course of construction, are to be forthwith totally destroyed either by sinking them or by breaking them up. The exceptions are that the United States, the British Empire, and Japan may each convert two of their capital ships to non-combatant uses, and use another as a target for gunnery practice. The ships so retained, however, must be rendered permanently unfit for offensive purposes. The capital ships to be destroyed or otherwise eliminated from the battle fleet of the United States are thirty in number. This number includes fifteen new battleships and battle-cruisers which are still in process of construction, and on which the American Government has already spent no less than 332 million dollars. The total tonnage of these thirty ships is 845,740 tons. The British ships to be destroyed or rendered unfit for battle are twenty in number, with a total tonnage of over 400,000 tons. These vessels include the battle-cruisers " Australia " and " New Zealand." That the " New Zealand " is thus doomed to destruction will be a matter of natural regret in the Dominion whose name she bears, and by the gift of whose Government and people she was added to the British Fleet. I understand that certain appropriate relics of this battlecruiser are to be presented by the Admiralty to the New Zealand Government as a permanent memorial of her existence and achievements. The Japanese battle fleet is to be reduced by eighteen ships, built or in the course of construction, with a total tonnage of over 400,000.

Name of Ship. Tonnage. Name of Ship. Tonnage. Name of Ship. Tonnage. Maryland California Tennessee Idaho New Mexico Mississippi Arizona 32,600 32,300 32,300 32,000 32,000 32,000 31,400 Pennsylvania Oklahoma Nevada .. ■ New York Texas Arkansas.. Wyoming 31,400 27,500 27,500 27,000 27,000 26,400 26,000 Florida Utah North Dakota Delaware 21,825 21,825 20,000 20,000 Total tonnage.. 500,650 Japan. France. Italy. Name of Ship. Tonnage. Name of Ship. Tonnage. Name of Ship. Tonnage. Mutsu Nagato Hiuga Isc .. Yamashiro Fu-so Kirishima Haruna Hiyei Kongo 33,800 33,800 31,260 31,260 30,600 30,600 27,500 27,500 27,500 27,500 Bretagne.. Lorraine Provence. . Paris Prance Jean Bart Courbet Condorcet Diderot Voltaire 23,500 23,500 ' 23,500 23,500 23,500 23,500 23,500 f8,890 18,890 18,890 Andrea Doria Caio Duilio Conte di Cavour .. Guilio Cesare Leonardo da Vinci Dante Aligliieri Roma Napoli Vittorio Emanuele Regina Elena 22,700 22,700 22,500 22,500 22,500 19,500 12,600 12,600 1.2,600 12,600 Total tonnage . . 301,320 Total tonnage .. 221,170 Total tonnage . . 182,800