NAVAL AGREEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1928, Page 5

NAVAL AGREEMENT

RESUME OF TEXT. United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received this day at 9. a.m.) PARIS, October 4.

“ L’Echo de Paris ” publishes what it describes as an accurate resume of the naval agreement notes. Britain delivered the opening note on June 28th, recalling the French suggestion to limit only surface ships armed with guns of not more than six inches. If that were adopted, battleships, aircraft carriers, ten-thousand-ton cruisers and submarines would be limited. Britain, if France assented, and would agree thereto would be in a position to withdraw opposition to the French thesis of trained army reserves. M. Briand replied on 20th July that lie would have preferred a compromise that France suggested to the Preparatory Commission on 27th March, but he was willing to take the road of conciliation, and requested Britain to consider the’French, proposal to fix a maximum tonnage for ten thousand tonuers and divide submarines above and below six hundred tons, the former’s bulk tonnage to be-limited. LONDON, October 4. “L’Echo de Paris” continues—M. Briand offered to submit to the United States, Japan, and Italy, agreed pro r posals which lie thought would be accepted, if not essential. Franco-Bri-tish co-operation would be continued with a view to ensuring an agreement. Britain replied on 28th June that she would have preferred the original suggestion, and also questioned the validity of France’s distinction of offensive and defensive submarines, but for the sake of conciliation, Britain was agreeable to France’s plan. .“.L’Echo de Paris” says the paragraph in Britain’s note setting out the na/al limitation thus envisaged, was detached in 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.