An item dated Washington, USA 12th referred to a statement of the American secretary Wilbur (1) for the Committee of Naval affairs that the earlier mentioned shipbuilding program was divided over a period of 8 years but that a larger program included the replacement of battleships if such was allowed under the Washington treaty restrictions.(2) The annual costs for replacing the battleships were 168 million US dollars or totally 3 milliard US dollars. A second item dated 13th reported that Wilbur corrected his earlier statement. The annual costs of the battleship building program over a period of 20 years were 129 million US dollars or totally 2,5 milliard US dollars. When a committee member asked him if the American navy at that moment was to be considered as a major naval power [1st class naval power] answered Wilbur first ‘we need cruisers’ and afterwards with ‘no’.
Notes
1. Curtis Dwight Wilbur (10 May 1867 Boonesboro, Iowa, USA-8 September 1954 San Fracisco, California, USA), secretary of navy 19 March 1924-4 March 1929.
2. Washington Naval Conference between November 1921-February 1922 signed by USA, England, Japan, Italy and France to limit the building of battleships, battle cruisers and aircraft carriers and to limit the possession of such capital ships by stopping completion of breaking up already existing. Battleships and battle cruisers were limited to maximum 35.000 tons and a maximum calibre of 16” guns.
