DISARMAMENT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20234, 12 May 1931, Page 9

DISARMAMENT.

DOMINION FLEETS.

AUSTRALIAN REDUCTION. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—B7 ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH— COPISIGHT.) (Received May 11th, 10.20 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. The Naval correspondent of the "Morning Post," commenting on the serious reductions in the . Australian Navy points out that the Australian Fleet, which is considerable on paper is reckoned as part of the Boyal Navy at recurring Disarmament Conferences so the falling out of commission of many units, the latest being the aircraft carrier, Albatross, ia a matter whieU deserves attention. The correspondent adds New Zealand is generously training reserve officers in addition to its valuable contribution in ciuisers. navy limitation. GREAT BRITAIN'S POLICY. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELXSS.I RUGBY, May 10. Reference to the negotiations for a naval building agreement were made last evening, in a speech at Sheffield, by the First Lord pf the Admiralty, Mr A. V. Alexander, who said that he and the Foreign Secretary, Mr A. Henderson, had made great efforts to get adhesion to Part 3 of the Naval Treaty (the agreement between Great' Britain, the United States, and Japan for the limitation of cruisers, destroyers, and submarines) by France and Italy. They came hack from Paris with the. understanding that the agreement was complete, and that there was no question "about it. It was not wise, perhaps, for anyone who had to take part in international negotiations at this stage to apportion blame. Mr Alexander continued: "We made the greatest possible concessions we could, and we from Paris on March Ist with the agreement. which I afterward submitted to the House of Commons on March 12tn, in which there is to me no ambiguity. - "In France to-day questions have been raised at a somewhat late date. I want to say there will be no efforts lacking on our part to promote that spirit of goodwill essential tp secure progress in this direction. "But I also want to say that there is going to be np guarantee of success in progress toward disarmament merely by one country always giving way. -

"If you are going to get a disarmament which ig going to be a real aifi t'O peace it rnust be disarmament of all. and not of one, and all the nations concerned must make equal contributions to the effort."