NAVAL ARMAMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 246, 16 September 1929, Page 7

NAVAL ARMAMENT

DECEMBER CONFERENCE. AUSPICES OF LEAGUE. FURTHER DISCLOSURES. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association. ) NEW YORK, Sept. 14. The Washington correspondent of the New York World states that in connection with the discussions on naval limitation the following disclosures were announced to-day : The conference of the five Powers, which is expected to take place in December, may be called under the auspices of the League of Nations, in which event it would be held at Geneva instead of London. It is believed that Italy and France would prefer this line of action. The question of parity between Italy and France, with the latter frowning upon Italian aspirations for an equivalent navy, will be one of the most important in the discussions. Japan will demand that her cruiser strength be increased to a 10-10-7 ratio, and Britain and the United States will probably approve. Further limitations in capital ships, following the trend of the Washington Conference, seem assured. The entire field of Anglo-American relations is expected to be the subject of the conversations between Mr Ramsay MacDonald and President Hoover.

AWAITING OFFICIAL ADVICE. JAPANESE ATTITUDE. (Australian Press Association.) Received September 16, 12.5 p.m. . TOIvIO, Sept. 15. The Government is awaiting official advices regarding the proposed Naval Conference in December after which Cabinet will notify Japan’s intention to attend. The delegates will probably be instructed to request a ratio of 10—10 —7. CAPITAL SHIPS. TEN-YEAR HOLIDAY. (Australian Press Association—United Sci'vicG)« WASHINGTON, Sept. 15. Japan,' France, Italy and other Powers signatory to the Washington Treaty will be invited to the naval conference, at which the United States will propose that the ten-year holiday in the construction of capital ships be extended from 1931 to 1936. The view expressed here is that Oy 1936 there should be an opportunity for a second conference, at which it will be possible to take even greater steps, looking to the reduction of fighting ships in all categories, as then the navies of the world will have been stabilised. It is officially stated that the discussions between Britain and the United States on the cruiser question have narrowed down to the proposition as to whether some thirty thousand tons of cruisers be embodied in three craft carrying eight-inch guns or four or five smaller ships carrying six-inch guns. This will be left to the December conference.

CRUISER PROBLEM. EXPERT’S STATEMENT. (Australian Press Association.) LONDON. Sept. 14. It was hinted at Downing Street today that Mr Ramsay MacDonald might not need to take more than a suitcase and a bag of golf clubs 911 his trip to the United States. This implies that the small outstanding differences may be .bridged before September 28, in which caso Mr MacDonald would not need to be accompanied by a staff of technical advisers. The Daily Telegraph’s naval expert suggests that America wishes to claim that Britain's four cruisers of the Hawkins type should he regarded as equal to the Washington type, whereas they are in nowise comparable and are really out of date. The correspondent states: “We have only two eight-inchers more than America, but the latter’s heavier armament gives her a superiority of gun-power.” The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent states: “The difference is not a matter of three cruisers, but a question of alternatives.”

PRIAIE AIINISTER AND PRESIDENT.

WADM CONGRATULATIONS. (British Official "Wireless.) Deceived September 16, 12 noon. DUGBY, Sept. 15. Warm congratulations are extended in tho Press to the Prime Minister, Air Bamsay MacDonald, and President Hoover on the success of the conversations on naval armament reduction. Advices from Washington,, where a great welcome awaits Air MacDonald indicate that the differences still remaining between the British proposals and the American response, as contained in the Note received by the Prime Alinister on Thursday evening, would be left for solution at the Five Power Naval Conference to be held in December, and that it would be unfair to say that the Prime Alinister was visiting Washington to bridge this last gap. Other things await discussion when Air AlacDonald meets President Hoover early next month. Particular importance is attached by the London Press to the view expressed in authoritative circles in AVashington, that if the outcome of the negotiations not yet finally completed is successful, the armament race will be off not only in cruisers, but also in all classes of warships.

EVENTS BECALLED. PREAIIEB’S DIFFICULT TASK. (British Official AVireless.) DUGBY, Sept. 14. The first intimation that Air Ramsay AlacDonald would be willing to visit Washington was given in the House of Commons. The suggestion was at once warmly welcomed in the United States. The announcement was followed by conversations at Forres, in Scotland, between tho Prime Alinister and General Dawes, immediately after the latter’s arrival to take up the duties of United States Ambassador. In the three montlrs that have since elapsed this declaration of goodwill has been succeeded by a detailed examination of the difficulties that prevented an agreement two years ago. It is understood 'that there has been a common ground between the negotiators, that the final agreement should bo linked definitely with the Kellogg Pact, that a declaration be made that there should be naval co-operation and not naval competition between tire parties to the agreement, that a reduction, not merely limitation, of naval strength be agreed on, that tho life of the various classes of warship be prolonged, and that destroyers and submarines be limited. In a recent speech at tile League Assembly Air MacDonald indicated

that the negotiations were so advanced that if the final agreement comprised twenty points it could be said that seventeen had been already settled. It was understood that the problem that still remained was that of the needs of Britain in patrolling her Empire trade routes. . . The Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Air Arthur Henderson, expressed the view at Geneva last week that if an Anglo-American agreement were reached the next step would be to call a Five Power Conference, that is, of Britain, the United _ States, Japan, France and Italy, with tho object of reaching a more general naval disarmament connection, the whole matter to be transferred ultimately to the League of Nations, to be handed over to its Preparatory Commission for Disarmament Conference. ' WORLD DISARMAAIENT. The Evening News states: _ “The Prime Alinister will carry with him to Washington the good wishes of the people of all parties in this country. For this is not a sectional political matter. It is not even an attempt merely to get England into a naval settlement with the United States. It is something far greater. What the Prime Alinister and President will be aiming at is a naval bond of agreement between the whole of the British Empire and the United States as a preliminary to a world measure of disarmament. “The task !is a great and difficult one. Not only have the two Governments and their advisers to settle relative strengths and the defensive values of two fleets, but also they have to consider all sorts of details in which the Dominions, the great Powers, ana the smaller countries are ooncerned. It is, then, to the credit of the Prime Alinister that he, in consultation With General Dawes, has prepared the ground so carefully and well.