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Show . EliffiL CAPITAtl Turning Battleships Into Scrap-Heaps WASHINGTON. Seated at n table In the State department, depart-ment, live men recorded the Jlnal approval of the powers for the treaties drafted by the arms conference to end narnl competition, terminate the Anglo-Japanese alliance, and sweep away the war clouds that have hovered for decades over tho Pa-cilic. Pa-cilic. It was an epilogue to the Washington Washing-ton negotiations at which It had been planned to give the place of honor to President Harding, at whose call the conference assembled ; but Instead the v' formal deposit of ratitleatlous was performed per-formed almost without ceremony. Secretary Hughes and his colleagues met In the diplomatic reception room, in the presence of only a handful of spectators. Including otliclals of the department, de-partment, messengers and representatives representa-tives of the press. Ambassador Ilnnl-hara Ilnnl-hara acted for Japan and the other (xnvers were represented by the charges of their embassies here, II. O. Chilton for Great l!rltaln, Capt. Andre le In Poulaye for France and Augusto Kosso for Italy. By prearrungement a telephone flash went to the Navy department at the moment the last name had been written writ-ten on the naval limitation pact. The Ink had not dried on the signatures before be-fore orders were speeding over the wires which mean the scrapping of 7.'0,-000 7.'0,-000 tons In lighting ships, new and old. From latest advices to the Navy department de-partment the following summary was made of the progress In the programs abroad prior to exchange of ratification: ratifica-tion: llrltlsh empire Total to be scrapped, 24 old ships, of !"00,0)0 tons; new ships, none. Proposed construction of four capital ships abandoned before keels were laid and work begun on two capital ships of smaller tonnage. Eighteen old ships rendered Incapable of -war service, 17 already having been sold. Japan Total to be scrapped, ten old ships of Ki.'i.OOO tons and two new ships of 77.000 tons. Work on the capital ships held in state of suspension since signing of treaty and armament removed re-moved from nine obsolete ships. France and Italy Present navies not affected by scrapping program. |