S. 8S. Washington—24,289 gross tons—Speed, 20 knots—Comopleted May 2, 1933— Sistership, one—Transatlantic service, United States lines ways at the point where it was neced- ed for fighting. To say that every fighting ship must be always at the point where it is needed for fighting brings up two interesting effects of the treaties of naval limitation. These treaties place restrictions only on surface and sub- marine vessels designed especially for fighting, and are mainly quantitative, dealing as they do with displace- ments, and the number and ealibre of guns, Consequently, an intensive qualitative development has taken place in naval design, which accentu- ates the difference between merchant ships and ships built especially for fighting. Effect of Treaty Restrictions Due to this modern trend in de- sign, it is no longer possible, as it once was, to make a fairly satisfac- tory general purpose cruiser, for ex- ample, out of a fast passenger ship by the simple expedient of mounting a few guns on her decks. Such a makeshift man-of-war might be valu- able for some detached duties to which fighting cruisers would other- wise have to be assigned, but it would be almost valueless in a fleet action; the humblest ‘‘fighter’’ could quickly destroy it. But these very treaty restrictions have enhanced the naval-auxiliary value of the merchant marine in sev- eral indirect ways. Because the 14 treaties permit the existance of only a few capital ships—-which, being ex- tremely complicated, are a long time building—the fighting value of ecruis- ers, destroyers, and submarines are magnified. The last tvo can be built in a fairly short time when the treaty restriction upon their number is sus- pended by the outbreak of hostilities. Aircraft too, the use of which in naval operations is increasing rapidly, can be put into quantity production on comparatively short notice. There never has, by the way, been any treaty restriction on aircraft. Now all three of these categories —destroyers, submarines and. air- craft with pontoons or boat hulls— have to be serviced by tenders, if they are operating at any considerable dis- tance from their base. Aircraft that land on wheels require carriers. Cruisers and battleships must have repair ships available if they are to avoid long absences from their re- spective stations. Food for all per- sonnel away from the base for pro- tracted periods has to be brought by ships equipped to carry butter, eggs, vegetables, and frozen meat, besides dry provisions. Other ships are needed to bring up mines, ammuni- tion, stores of all kinds and vast quantities of fuel. Hospital ships must be constantly at hand to care for the sick and wounded. Transports have to run back and forth with re- placement personnel. Scores of small- er vessels may be needed for mining operations, submarine chasing and for patrol. Navy Not Self Contained Cruisers too, in very considerable numbers, would be needed in time of war by any power whose maritime interests are comparable with ours, whether that power were neutral or belligerent. The British had about thirty cruisers along its trade lanes for the protection of its commerce long after the Allies had virtually complete control of the sea during the World war. Obviously, therefore, on account of treaty restrictions and financial con- siderations, it is never practical to have in the navy during peace all the vessels that might be required in war. Consequently the navy has to ed MARINE REVIEwW—October, 1934 Above—S. 8S. Santa Elena—11,200 gross tons — Speed, 18% knots — Completed, March 22, 19383—Sisterships, three—For Grace line service between Hast and West coasts At left—sS. S. Pennsylvania—20.526 gross tons-—Speed, 18 knots—Completed, Oct. 10, 1929-—Sisterships, two—Panama Pa- cific line, intercoastal service look to the merchant marine for sup- plementary vessels. Merchant type vessels that are suitable for these supplementary naval uses may be catalogued in six general classes,’ namely: Class A—-Fast passenger or com- bination ships capable of making 18 knots or more;