NAVAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1930, Page 6

NAVAL CONFERENCE

U.S.A. DESIRE roll PARITY

i United Frees Association. —By Electrio Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, Feb. 10

The “Daily Telegraph’s” naval contributor says: Nothing could be more untimely, or mote prejudieal to the prospects of the Naval Conference than the reported intention of the United States to bring forward a new formula for battleship parity. If the week-end news is confirmed, it will mean that America’s “big navy” men have scored a triumph over the other statesmen. Washington’s big navy group want to eliminate the battleships “Nelson” and “Rodney” froiii the British Fleet, or, failing this, to eliminate tne most of our “Queen Elizabeths,” and “Royal Sovereigns,” ten ships which are the backbone of the British Fleet. Tnough there are 20 first-class'capital ships in the .British Navy list, there are really only thirteen as the four Iron Dukes, the Tiger, Renown and Repulse are pre-Jutland ships. THE SUBMARINE. TV ; " LONDON, Feb. 9. Mr Stimsori (U.S.A. Secretary) had ,a long conversation with M. Briand (French Foreign Minister) yesterday, chiefly on the subject of submarines, which will be discussed at (the plenary session on Tuesday. It is understood-that M. Briand is . emphatic regarding the impossibility of France accepting the abolition of submarines, so that the discussion will be connected with possible alternatives with a view of making underwater warfare more human.

Though France cannot accept the Root Convention of 1922 in its present form, she claims that submarines ■must be treated in the same way as other warships, and that they must have the same obligations and the .same rights. It is believed that Japan also regards the submarines as a defensive weapon of which she desires eighty thousand tons.