While naval conversations progress to readjust _tonnag quotas.
of vessels, Britain has been slow to feccnstruct and moder-existing warships within the the London Naval Treaty. Among the vessels to be thus treated are the "County" class vessels, most of which are attached fo the British China Fleet. The frst fo be reconstructed is H.MS. Cumber land, well-known on this station which has left Chatham after a yea Ju dock and has un able alterations. Although the details necessarily Kept secret, learnt that the reconstruction has entailed the Atting of side armour and a large hangar to house three of the new Walrus amphibious machines. A fourth machine will be carried on the catapult. To compensate for these changes and keep within the 10,000 tons treaty limit, one deck has been cut away from the after turret to the stern and thus the ship, originally tush decked like-others of the class seen on the China Station, in her new Guise has a lower quarter-deck. Other Vessels are to be similarly treated 10 bring them up a higher state of efficiency for, with their very high freeboard and lack of armour protection, these vessels have never been very popular in the Service. One of the most interesting features of the Feconstruction is the aircraft equip: ment, which represents a great im-Provement on the Vindictive, one of the first cruisers to be converted into 4 semi-aircraft carrier by the construction of a hangar and equip. Ment of a catapult. The general machine hitherto used on catapults has been the float seaplane type but the Walrus, with ils retractable underearriage' which enables it to land fon shore or on an aircraft carrier, considered to be a much more useful craft and able to. stand rougher weather than the ordinary seaplane.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.