NAVAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1930, Page 6

NAVAL CONFERENCE

AGREEMENTS ASSURED

FOR THE EiIG THREE

[United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copy right. ]

LONDON, March 15

Whether or not Air Ramsay MacDonald and M. Tardieu (French Premier) to-morrow will devise a solution ol ilie Frahco-Italian deadlock, it seems certain that the course is set for a ih.veof an American Japanese compromise. Power Agreement. This is the res.lt It has been approved by both delegations, and by their naval advisers. It is now being submitted to the Tokio Government, whose assent is expected on Tuesday. The term? of the agreement are that America will have 130,000 tons of vesseels carrying eight inch guns, and Japan will have 108,000 tons of these America is bringing lor total to 18 cruisers with eight-inch guns by adding one in each year in 1934,1935, and 1936 respectively.

• Britain will have fifteen of . the eight inch gun cruisers by 1936.

Japan by 1936 will,have eight, df these cruisers of "the “Niiclii”' type, plus four 7100 ton cruisers with eightinch guns, of the ‘ ‘Ka to” type. This whittling, down of ' Japan’s large' cruisers' has been achieved by concessions in smaller ships. The ratios and relative figures are

AMERICA

Light cruisers—143,000 tons Destroyers.—llo,ooo tons. . §ulnnarines—l2,ooo tons. JAPAN.

Light cruisers 104,000 tons. Destroyers—los,ooo tons. Submarines—s2,ooo tons. This makes it easier for Britain to enter into a three-party agreement. FRANCE AND ITALY.

It is, nevertheless, still a problem how Britain will stand if France should extensively build ten-thousand-tonners.

As a solution of this, and perhaps also as a temporary solution of the France-Italian impasse, till 1936, it is suggested that France and Italy should Submit their minimum building needs for embodyment in a Treaty, leaving the vexed issue of their parity to be worked out at a later conference.

Another suggestion is that France and Italy should agree to a rigidly fixed tonnage strength in the Mediterranean. This, however, offers but little hope, because the Mediterranean is only three days’ steaming from other French ports. Meanwhile the Anglo-American view is to let France and Italy discuss any proposal, however small, if only to bring them nearer. This morningls Paris “despatches all affirm that M. Tardieu lias nothing new offer. It seems to lie a case of security or nothing.

FR ANCE AND ITALY

GULF STILL UNBRIDGED

LONDON, March 14

There is no sign yet that a way has been found to bridge the gulf between the wishes of France and Italy, ft is generally believed that Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s talk on Sunday with M. Tardieu will be the most decisive event of the whole conference.

ft is stated from a responsible quarter that Italy’s unyielding attitude with respect to parity is chiefly based in resentment that France alone is attempting to impose a limit on Italy’s sovereign rights. It is not a question of Italy wanting to or having money to build as many -ships as France, but of having a continuance of the principle of parity with France, conceded in the Washington Treaty, in relation to capital ships and aircraft carriers. If France will agree to the limit of five hundred thousand tons, Italy will instantly assent, though perhaps she will never want to build that figure.

The, latest suggestion is that Italy might be contented if she were assured of parity in the Mediteranean, but the Italian spokesman edclares. “We aru ready to accept any figure Britain and America suggests to us. but it must bo parity with the strongest Continental Rower.”

France’s reply to this .statement is that parity means her fleet must be divided on three fronts, while Italy’s is concentrated on only one; therefore parity would make France in--I'arior in the Mediterranean. The British and Americans as a last resort are beginning tentatively to consider what acceptance of France’s full contention for the total strength, working out at fifiO thousand tons, would entail in the direction of increasing British, American am! Japanese totals.

PRESIDENT FI.OOVKIRS DOFFS. WASHINGTON, March 14. White House circles have intimated that President Hoover regards the outcome of the London Conference most optimistically, in view of his belief that a period of clear sailing should follow the Anglo-American rejection of all political pacts and also since the negotiators are no longer reiterating any '‘irreducible minimum.” He holds that both are getting down to realities for tlieir tonnage figures.