Monday, Aug. 13, 1923

Lighter Craft

Although the completion of the last two super-dreadnaughts marks the end of construction of that type of ship in this country for several years, the building of lighter vessels is not restricted by the Washington Treaty. Great Britain and Japan, especially the latter, are rapidly increasing the numbers of their light cruisers and submarines. The U. S. has ten scout cruisers, either under construction or just built.

Advices from Washington state that the Navy Department will shortly submit to the Budget Bureau recommendations for eight more cruisers, four river gunboats, three cruising submarines, three mine-laying submarines. In an emergency, under present conditions, the Navy would be seriously handicapped by a shortage of light cruisers and a complete lack of mine-laying submarines. The new recommendations look towards the elimination of this deficiency.