Article 1.
The High Contracting Parties agree to limit and, so far as possible, to reduce their respective armaments as provided in the present Convention.
…
Chapter B. – Naval Armaments. [1], [2]
Throughout the duration of the present Convention, the global tonnage of the vessels of war of each of the High Contracting Parties, other than the vessels exempt from limitation under Annex I to this Chapter and the special vessels enumerated in Annex II, shall not exceed the figure laid down for such Party in Table I annexed to this Chapter.
Article 12.
Table II annexed to this Chapter shows, by tonnage per category, the way in which each high Contracting Party intends to distribute during the period of application of the present Convention the global tonnage which is limited in the case of such Party to the figure laid down in Table I.
Article 13.
Within the limits of the global tonnage fixed for such Party in Table I, and failing any stricter conditions resulting from special conventions to which it is or may become a party, each of the High Contracting Parties may modify he distribution shown for it in Table II, subject to the following conditions:-
(1) The tonnages by category shown for each high Contracting Party in Table II shall in no case be the object of increase beyond the figures shown for it in Table III annexed to this Chapter.
(2) Before the laying-down of the ship or ships for the construction of which the transferred tonnage has been assigned, due notice must be given to all the other High Contracting Praties and the Secretary-General and the Permanent Disarmament Commission, of the amount of tonnage transferred, the length of such notice being that laid down for each of the High Contracting Parties in Table III.
Article 14.
No capital ship shall exceed 35,000 tons (35,560 metric tons) standard displacement or carry a gun exceeding 16 inches (406 mm.) in calibre.
Article 15.
No aircraft carrier shall exceed 27,000 tons (27,432 metric tons) standard displacement or carry a gun with a calibre in excess of 8 inches (203 mm.).
No aircraft carrier of 10,000 tons (10,160 metric tons) or less standard displacement shall carry a gun exceeding 6.1 inches (155 mm.) in calibre.
If the armament carried includes guns exceeding 6.1 inches (166 mm.) in calibre, the total number of guns carried, except anti-aircraft guns and guns not exceeding 5.1 inches (130 mm.), shall not exceed ten. If, alternatively, the armament contains no guns exceeding 6.1 inches (166 mm.) in calibre, the number of guns is not limited. In either case, the number of anti-aircraft guns and of guns not exceeding 5.1 inches (130 mm.) in calibre, is not limited.
Article 16.
No submarine shall exceed 2,000 tons (2,032 metric tons) standard displacement or carry a gun exceeding 5.1 inches (130 mm.) in calibre.
Article 17.
No vessel of war exceeding the limitations as to displacement or armament prescribed by the present Convention shall be acquired by, or constructed by, for or within the jurisdiction of any of the High Contracting Parties.
Article 18.
In regard to the replacement of vessels of war limited by the present Convention, the High Contracting Parties will comply with the rules set out in Annex IV to this chapter.
Article 19.[5]
No preparation shall be made in merchant ships in time of peace for the installation of warlike armaments for the purpose of converting such ships into vessels of war, other than the necessary stiffening of decks for the mounting of guns not exceeding 6.1 inches (155 mm.) in calibre.
Article 20.
In the event of a High Contracting Party’s being engaged in war, such party shall not use as a vessel of war any vessel of war which may be under construction within its jurisdiction for any other Power, or which may have been constructed within its jurisdiction for another Power and not delivered.
Article 21.
Each of the High Contracting Parties undertakes not to dispose, by gift, sale, or any mode of transfer, of any vessel of war in such a manner that such vessel may become a vessel of war in the navy of any foreign Power.
Article 22.
Any vessels of war which have to be disposed of as being surplus to the tonnage figures allowed by the present Convention shall be disposed of in accordance with the rules set out in Annex V to this Chapter.
Article 23.
Existing ships of various types, which, prior to the 1st April, 1930, have been used as stationary training establishments or hulks, may be retained in a non-seagoing condition.
(Provision text, subject to the drafting of the Annex.)
The annual expenditure of each High Contracting Party on the upkeep, purchase and manufacture of war material for naval armaments shall be limited to the figures laid down for such Party, and in accordance with the conditions prescribed, in Annex …
Note.- The two following articles appear in Part III of the London Naval Treaty, and are quoted as examples of supplementary restrictions which certain High Contracting Parties may be prepared to accept:-[8]
Article …
“Not more than 25 per cent. Of the allowed total tonnage in the cruiser category may be fitted with a landing-on platform or deck for aircraft.”
Article …
“In the destroyer category, not more than 16 per cent. Of the allowed total tonnage shall be employed in vessels of over 1,500 tons (1,524 metric tons) standard displacement.”
Tables Annexed to Chapter B of Part II.
Table I.
| High Contracting Party. | Global Tonnage. |
| A B C D E F G … … … |
Table II.
| Categories (defined in Annex III). | High Contracting Parties | |||||||||
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | … | … | ||
| (a) Capital ships (i) | ||||||||||
| (ii)[9] | ||||||||||
| (b) Aircraft-carriers | ||||||||||
| (cd) Light Surface vessels | (c) Cruisers – (i) Guns of more than 6.1 inches (155 mm.) | |||||||||
| (ii) Guns of 6.1 inches and less (166 mm.) | ||||||||||
| (d) Destroyers | ||||||||||
| (e) Submarines | ||||||||||
Table III. – Rules for Transfer
The figures to be entered in this table will be calculated on the following principles:-
1. Account must be taken of the special circumstances of each Power, and of the classes of ships involved in the transfer.
2. Powers whose total tonnage does not exceed 100,000 tons[10] will have full freedom of transfer as regards surface ships.
3. As regards other powers, the amount of the transfer should vary in inverse ratio to the amount of the total (global) tonnage of each of them.
Annexes to Chapter B of Part II.
Annex I.
Exempt Vessels.
Subject to any special agreements which may submit them to limitation, the following vessels are exempt from limitation:-
(a) Naval surface combatant vessels of 600 tons (610 metric tons) standard displacement and under;
(b) Naval surface combatant vessels exceeding 600 tons (610 metric tons), but not exceeding 2,000 tons (2,032 metric tons) standard displacement, provided they have none of the following characteristics:-
(1) Mount a gun above 6.1-inch(155 mm.) calibre;
(2) Mount more than four guns above 3-inch (76 mm.) calibre;
(3) Are designed or fitted to launch torpedoes;
(4) Are designed for a speed greater than twenty knots.
(c) Naval surface vessels not specifically built as fighting ships which are employed on fleet duties or as troop transports or in some other way than as fighting ships, provided they have none of the following characteristics:-
(1) Mount a gun above 6.1-inch(155 mm.) calibre;
(2) Mount more than four guns above 3-inch (76 mm.) calibre;
(3) Are designed or fitted to launch torpedoes;
(4) Are designed for a speed greater than twenty knots;
(5) Are protected by armour plate;
(6) Are designed or fitted to launch mines;
(7) Are fitted to receive aircraft on board from the air;
(8) Mount more than one aircraft-launching apparatus on the centre line; or two, one on each broadside;
(9) If fitted with any means of launching aircraft into the air, are designed or adopted to operate at sea more than three aircraft.
Annex II.
List of Special Vessels
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Annex III.
Definitions.
For the purposes of the present Convention, the following expressions are to be understood in the sense defined in this Annex: -
(a) Capital Ships
(i) Vessels of war, not aircraft carriers, whose displacement exceeds 10,000 tons (10,160 metric tons) standard displacement, or which carry a gun with a calibre exceeding 8 inches (203 mm.).
(ii) For parties who do not possess any capital ship exceeding 8,000 tons (8,128 metric tons) standard displacement:-
Vessels of war not exceeding 8,000 tons (8,128 metric tons) standard displacement and the calibre of whose guns exceeds 8 inches (203 mm.).
(b) Aircraft Carriers
Surface vessels of war, whatever their displacement, designed for the specific and exclusive purpose of carrying aircraft and so constructed that aircraft can be launched therefrom and landed thereon.
(c) Cruisers
Surface vessels of war, other than capital ships or aircraft carriers, the standard displacement of which exceeds 1,850 tons (1,880 metric tons), or with a gun above 5.1 inch (130 mm) calibre.
The cruiser category is divided into two sub-categories, as follows:-
(a) Cruisers carrying a gun above 6.1 inches (155 mm.) calibre;
(b) Cruisers not carrying a gun above 6.1 inches (155 mm.) calibre.
(d) Destroyers
Surface vessels of war the standard displacement of which does not exceed 1,850 tons (1,880 metric tons), and with a gun not above 5.1 inches (130 mm.) calibre.
(cd) Light Surface Vessels.
Surface vessels of war, other than capital ships or aircraft carriers, the standard displacement of which does not exceed 10,000 tons (10,160 metric tons), and with guns not exceeding 8 inches (203 mm) calibre.
The category of light surface vessels is divided into two categories, as follows:-
(1) Vessels carrying a gun above 6.1 inches (155 mm.) calibre.
(2) Vessels not carrying a gun above 6.1 inches (155 mm.) calibre.
Standard Displacement.
1. The standard displacement of a surface vessel is the displacement of the vessel complete, fully manned, engined and equipped ready for sea, including all armament and ammunition equipment, outfit, provisions and fresh water for crew, miscellaneous stores and implements of every description that are intended to be carried in war, but without fuel or reserve feed water on board.
2. The standard displacement of a submarine is the surface displacement of the vessel complete (exclusive of the water in non-watertight structure), fully manned, engined and equipped ready for sea, including all armament and ammunition equipment, outfit, provisions for crew, miscellaneous stores and implements of every description that are intended to be carried in war, but without fuel, lubricating oil, fresh water or ballast water of any kind on board.
3. Each naval combatant vessel shall be rated at its displacement tonnage when in the standard condition.
The word “ton,” except in the expression “metric tons,” shall be understood to be the ton of 2,240 pounds (1,016 kilos.).
Annex IV.
Rules for Replacement.
1. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this Annex, no vessel limited by this Convention shall be replaced until it becomes "over-age".
2. A vessel shall be deemed to be "over-age" when the following number of years have elapsed since the date of its completion:-
(a) Capital ships: 20[11] years, subject to special provision as may be necessary for the replacing of existing ships.
(b) Aircraft Carriers: 20 years, subject to special provision as may be necessary for existing ships.
(c) Surface vessels exceeding 3,000 tons (3,048 metric tons) but not exceeding 10,000 tons (10,160 metric tons) standard displacement:
(i) If laid down before the 1st January, 1920, 16 years;
(ii) If laid down after the 31st December, 1919, 20 years.
(d) Surface vessels not exceeding 3,000 tons (3,048 metric tons) standard displacement:
(i) If laid down before the 1st January, 1921, 12 years;
(ii) If laid down after 31 December, 1920, 16 years.
(e) Submarines: 13 years.
3. The keels of replacement tonnage shall not be laid down more than three years before the year in which the vessel to be replaced becomes "over-age"; but this period is reduced to two years in the case of any replacement surface vessel not exceeding 3,000 tons (3,048 metric tons) standards displacement.
The right of replacement is not lost by delay in laying down replacement tonnage.
4. In the event of loss or accidental destruction, a vessel may be replaced immediately; but such replacement tonnage shall be subject to the limits of displacement and to the other provisions of this Convention.
Annex V
Rules for Disposal of Vessels of War
The present Convention provides for the disposal of vessels of war in the following ways:-
(1) By scrapping (sinking or breaking up);
(2) By converting the vessel to a hulk;
(3) By converting the vessel to target use exclusively;
(4) By retaining the vessel exclusively for experimental purposes;
(5) By retaining the vessel exclusively for training purposes.
Any vessel of war to be disposed of, other than a capital ship, may either be scrapped or converted to a hulk at the option of the High Contracting Party concerned.
Vessels, which have been retained for target, experimental or training purposes, shall finally be scrapped or converted to hulks.
Section I, – Vessels to be scrapped
(a) A vessel to be disposed of by scrapping, by reason of its replacement, must be rendered incapable of warlike service within six months of the date of the completion of its successor, or of the first of its successors if there are more than one. If, however, the completion of the new vessel or vessels be delayed, the work of rendering the old vessel incapable of warlike service shall, nevertheless, be completed within four and a half years from the date of laying the keel of the new vessel, or of the first of the new vessels, but should the new vessel, or any of the new vessels, be a surface vessel not exceeding 3,000 tons (3,048 metric tons) standard displacement, this period is reduced to three and a half years.
(b) A vessel to be scrapped shall be considered incapable of warlike service when there shall have been removed and landed or else destroyed in the ship:
(1) All guns and essential parts of guns, fire control tops and revolving parts of all barbettes and turrets;
(2) All hydraulic or electric machinery for operating turrets;
(3) All fire control instruments and range-finders;
(4) All ammunition, explosives, mines and mine rails;
(5) All torpedoes, war heads, torpedo tubes and training racks;
(6) All wireless telegraphy installations;
(7) All main propelling machinery, or alternatively the armoured conning tower and all side armour plate;
(8) All aircraft cranes, derricks, lifts and launching apparatus. All landing-on or flying-off platforms and decks, or alternatively all main propelling machinery;
(9) In addition, in the case of submarines, all main storage batteries, air compressor plants and ballast pumps.
(c) Scrapping shall be finally effected in either of the following ways within twelve months of the date on which the work of rendering the vessel incapable of warlike service is due for completion:-
(1) Permanent sinking of the vessel;
(2) Breaking the vessel up; this shall always include the destruction or removal of all machinery, boilers and armour, and all deck, side and bottom plating.
Section II. – Vessels to be converted to Hulks
A vessel to be disposed of by conversion to a hulk shall be considered finally disposed of when the conditions prescribed in Section I, paragraph (b), of this Annex have been complied with, omitting sub-paragraphs (6), (7) and (8), and when the following have been effected:-
(1) Mutilation beyond repair of all propeller shafts, thrust blocks, turbine gearing or main propelling motors and turbines or cylinders of main engines;
(2) Removal of propeller brackets;
(3) Removal and breaking up of all aircraft lifts, and the removal of all aircraft cranes, derricks and launching apparatus.
The vessel must be put in the above condition within the same limits of time as provided in Section I for rendering a vessel incapable of warlike service.
Section III. – Vessels to be converted to target use
(a) A vessel to be disposed of by conversion to target use exclusively shall be considered incapable of warlike service when there have been removed and landed, or rendered unserviceable on board, the following:-
(1) All guns;
(2) All fire control tops and instruments and main fire control communication wiring;
(3) All machinery for operating gun mountings or turrets;
(4) All ammunition, explosives, mines, torpedoes and torpedo tubes;
(5) All aviation facilities and accessories.
The vessel must be put into the above condition within the same limits of time as provided in Section I for rendering a vessel incapable of warlike service.
(b) Each High Contracting Party is permitted to retain, for target use exclusively, at any one time:
(1) Not more than three vessels (cruisers or destroyers), but of these three vessels only one may exceed 3,000 tons (3,048 metric tons) standard displacement;
(2) One submarine.
(c) On retaining a vessel for target use, the High Contracting Party concerned undertakes not to re-condition it for warlike service.
Section IV. – Vessels retained for experimental purposes
(a) A vessel to be disposed of by conversion to experimental purposes exclusively shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of Section III (a) of this Annex.
(b) Without prejudice to the general rules, and provided that due notice be given to the other High Contracting Parties, reasonable variation from the conditions prescribed in Section III(a) of this Annex, in so far as may be necessary for the purposes of a special experiment, may be permitted as a temporary measure.
Any High Contracting Party taking advantage of this provision is required to furnish full details of any such variations and the period for which they will be required.
(c) Each High Contracting Party is permitted to retain for experimental purposes exclusively at any one time:
(1) Not more than two vessels (cruisers or destroyers), but of these two vessels only one may exceed 3,000 tons (3,048 metric tons) standard displacement;
(2) One submarine.
(d) On retaining a vessel for experimental purposes the High Contracting Party concerned undertakes not to re-condition it for warlike service.
Section V. – Vessels retained for Training Purposes
(a) The following vessels may be retained, for training purposes exclusively, by the High Contracting Parties concerned: -
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
(b) Vessels retained for training purposes under the provisions of paragraph (a) shall, within six months of the date on which they are required to be disposed of, be dealt with as follows: -
1. Capital ships
The following is to be carried out:-
(1) Removal of main armament guns, revolving parts of all barbettes and turrets; machinery for operating turrets; but three turrets with their armament may be retained in each ship;
(2) Removal of all ammunition and explosives in excess of the quantity required for target practice training for the guns remaining on board;
(3) Removal of conning tower and the side armour belt between the foremost and aftermost barbettes;
(4) Removal or mutilation of all torpedo tubes;
(5) Removal or mutilation on board of all boilers in excess of the number required for a maximum speed of eighteen knots.
2. Other surface vessels.
The following is to be carried out:
(1) Removal of one half of the guns, but four guns of main calibre may be retained on each vessel;
(2) Removal of all torpedo tubes;
(3) Removal of all aviation facilities and accessories;
(4) Removal of one half of the boilers.
(c) The High Contracting Party concerned undertakes that vessels retained in accordance with the provisions of this Section shall not be used for any combatant purpose.…
[1] Such figures and dates as appear in this Chapter are only given as an illustration; most of them correspond to the figures and dates laid down in the Treaties of Washington and London.
[2] The German delegation made a reservation in view of the great value of non-floating material, on the ground that the latter – unlike floating material – would not be subject to any direct limitation by specific articles and by numbers, and would only be affected indirectly by limitation by expenditure. With regard to the latter, the German delegation reserved its opinion until it had studied the report of the Committee of Budgetary Experts.
[3] The Yugoslav delegate emphasised the difference between recently created countries, at present engaged in preparing a minimum naval programme compatible with their national security, and countries having a maritime history and tradition and possessing a complete fleet. The figure of the total (global) tonnage to be inserted in Table I would, for the former countries, represent only the first stage in the execution of their minimum programme, whereas for the latter, the figure will really indicate their maximum naval forces in the present state of international relations. In view of this essential difference, the Yugoslav delegation reserved the right to request at the Conference that recently created countries, which are obliged to distribute their expenditure for the construction of a minimum tonnage compatible with their national security over a number of years exceeding the duration of the Convention, should be accorded the right to mention separately, within the limits of the agreed total (global) tonnage, what portion of their programme they intended to carry out during the period of the Convention. Similarly, if under Article 57 of the draft Convention, the Convention remained in force for a further period, such prolongation should not debar the above-mentioned countries from continuing the execution of their naval programme within the limits of the agreed tonnage. The Finnish delegate associated himself with this reservation.
[4] The Italian delegation proposed that Articles 11 and 12 should be replaced by a single Article worded as follows: “The limitation of naval armaments, accepted by each of the High Contracting Parties, is indicated in the following table …” in the form of Table II of the text, Table I being omitted.
[5] The Japanese delegation reserved the right to raise the question of the limitation of aircraft equipment on merchant vessels, possibly at the Conference itself.
[6] In pronouncing on this Article, the Governments will take into account at the Conference the report requested from the Committee of Budgetary Experts, which will have been forwarded to them in order to permit of the drawing up of the Annex to this Article.
[7] Certain delegations objected to the introduction of indirect limitation of naval material in addition to its direct limitation as provided for in the other articles of this Chapter.
The American delegation repeated its general reservation on the subject of budgetary limitation.
The French delegation does not see its way to accept the special limitation of expenditure on upkeep, purchase, and manufacture of war material for naval armaments. Apart from the technical difficulties, it observes that the limitation of naval material under satisfactory conditions is assured by the direct limitation of floating material, as well as indirectly by the limitation of the aggregate expenditure on armaments.
The Japanese delegation also made a reservation in the same sense.
The German delegation reserves its opinion until it has studied the report of the Committee of budgetary Experts.
The British and Italian delegations explained that their acceptance fo this article depended on the attitude finally adopted by other maritime Powers.
[8] The representatives of Greece and Spain made a formal reservation in regard to the possibility of these supplementary restrictions being applied.
[9] For parties who do not possess any capital ship of a standard displacement exceeding 8,000 tons (8,128 metric tons).
[10] This figure is given as an indication.
[11] Under the London Treaty, certain powers agreed not to exercise their rights to lay down the keels of capital ships replacement tonnage during the years 1931 to 1936 inclusive, as provided in the Washington Treaty.
Source: CMD 3757
