NAVY AGREEMENT

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 9

NAVY AGREEMENT

EXCHANGE OF NOTES. Reported Resume Of AngloFrench Negotiations. WHERE AMERICA CAME IN. (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) PARIS, October 5. The "Echo de : Paris" publishes what it describes as an accurate resume of the Notes on the naval agreement. It says Britain delivered the opening Note on June 28, recalling the Fi-ench suggestion for limit only on surface ships armed with guns of more than six inches, v

If that were adopted, battleships, aircraft carriers, the 10,000-ton cruisers, and submarines would be limited. If France assented Britain would agree, and then would be in a position to withdraw her opposition to the French thesis of trained army reserves.

Tho Foreign Minister, M. • Briand, replied on July 20 that he would have preferred a compromise. Franco suggested a preparatory commission, but was willing to take the-road of conciliation and requested Britain to consider the French proposal to fix a maximum tonnage for the 10,000-ton ships; and to divide submarines into those above and below 000 tons, the bulk tonnage of the former be limited.

M. Briand .offered to .submit to the United States, Japan, and Italy the Reread proposals, which he thought would be accepted. If not, it was essential that the Franco-British cooperation should be continued, with a view to ensuring agreement.

Britain replied on July 28 that she would have preferred the original suggestion, and sho also questioned the validity of the French distinction between offensive and defensive submarines, but for the sake of conciliation Britain would agree to the French plan. 'Die "Echo de Paris" says in a final paragraph: "Britain's Note setting out the naval limitation thus envisaged was detached from its context, and submitted to the three Powers. America then inquired if there were any other clauses, whereupon a summary of the foregoing Notes was sent to the three Governments in the last week of September." ACCURATE SUMMARY. i INEXPLICABLE DISCLOSURES. (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) (Received 12 noon.) LONDON, October 5. Downing Street regards the "Echo de Paris" disclosures as inexplicable. The leakage appears to be a. substantially accurate summary, but does not effect tho British view as to the proper time for tho issue of documents about which, negotiations are in train. :