AMERICA'S PROVISIONAL LIST

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 8, 10 July 1923, Page 7

AMERICA'S PROVISIONAL LIST

DEPENDENT ON FRENCH ACTION

DESIRE TO REDUCE FORCES.

(E.VtTED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPTRIGHT.)

NEW YORK, Bth July.

The Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" learns that the General Board of the Navy has submitted a plan, which Mr. E. Denby (Secretary of tho Navy) has approved, to maintain in fighting trim a minimum naval force at sea of eighteen first-line battleships, fourteen cruisers, eighty-four submarines, irrespective of what action France tallies regarding the' VVasliington Naval Treaty. A strong feeling, however, exists among an important faction in Congress that when France approves the Treaty, the United States will be able to reduce' its navy below the size authorised in the Treaty. The correspondent finds- that officials are inclined to approve the Japanese sentiment for a British-American-Japanese pact in the event of French failure- to approve the Naval Treaty.

It was reportedl last week that Japan had decided to approach" America, and Britain with a view to reaching a tripartite agreement to enforce the provision of the Washington Naval Treaty without waiting for French ratification.