NAVAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

PROGRESS OF CONSULTATIONS.

A HOPEFUL FEELING

AN AMERICAN ATTITUDE

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received this day at 11 a.m.) RUGBY, March 11. Air inquiry called lor by the heads of British, American and French delegations on certain technical questions, which were found /to require further exploration wag \ proceeded with throughout yesterday Ly Messrs Alexander and Dume.snil, each accompanied by experts in the presence of American observers, but the investigations are not yet complete. Hitherto, owing to the French political crisis, a close examination of the figures set out in the French memo iwith. a view to determining tonnage that will be apportioned to '■the Powers in the proposed' global and category, table, prepared by the First Committee has not been possible. If! is for this purpose that a new inquiry has been set on foot. The French demands naturally must affect the final figures put forward by Britain and as America is to have parity with Britain, her naval requirements are also influenced by the French figures. It is for this reason that American observers are attending the inquiry. A long statement on the French case was made yesterday by M. Dumesnil, to which Mr Alexander re-

plied. The “Times” says there are alleged to 'bo doubts as to whether the French tonnage figures and figures' put forward by Britain have been compiled on a directly comparable basis, and this is one of the points which has to be cleared up. This afternoon the First Committee of the Cbni'ereince will . resume consideration of the question left undecided in the report of its experts on special ships. One of the points outstanding is whether the tonnage of these special ships which while not falling within the extra class, do not fit into the proposed categories, or should as Franco suggests, be included in total tonnage to be allotted to each Power, or kept entirely separate, in accordance the British proposal. It also remains to be ' settled whether the new vessels built to replace these special ships, should go in a separate class or be absorbed into the most suitable category. ' If a decision is reached on those points, the plenary session will pre- ■ sumably be summoned to accept the •report. . • / The French Prime Minister, M. Tardieu is expected to arrive in London oil Friday. Experts, of Great Britain and France with American observers at their 'meeting (this morning analysed the tonnage statement presented in the French case and agreed upon certain .figures ■as a basis for discussion. These figures were reported to the heads of delegations concerned this morning. Also M. Briand and Mi Grandi had a conversation which lasted some time. The newspapers state this evening that Ihe Am, clean delegation have reached the conclusion that United States would be unable to accept any consultative pact as a means ctf facilitating a reduction of French tonnage figures, the feeling of the delegation being that such a pact would entail more allegations than appear on the face of it, and that United States Senate ■ would hot ratify any such proposal. At a meeting of leaders of the delegations to-night considerable progress was made. Mr Alexander reported verbally on the progress of the First Committee stating that .an agreement in substance had been reached regarding special and exempt classes of vessels and that apart from the question of submarines the greater amount of the business referred to the First Committee had now been ■or would shortly be laid before heads j of delegations, who will meet again . on Thursday.