NAVAL PARITY NEGOTIATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1931, Page 5

NAVAL PARITY NEGOTIATIONS

BRITISH MINISTERS VISIT FRANCE. [United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyr ght. J (Received 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, February 23. Wlide the Dominion Prime Ministers are daily informed of the developments of C'raigies Anglo-Franco-Italimi negotiations, events moved quicklv during the week end, resulting in Messrs Henderson. Alexander, Craigie Foreign Office Officials and member,s of the Admiralty staff leaving lor Baris to- da v.

I Crnigio was Mr MacDonald's right . hand man at the Naval ( oni'erem-e, i since when negotiations have been continuous. The real climax came when Mr Henderson and M. Brimul recently went to Geneva to a meeting of the League Coitueii. In the same compartment there. Mr Henderson apparently secured certain concessions' from M. Briand, hitherto feared unaclii ivable, ouiiniilaL. il'ig in to-day’s hurried trip. Onicitil circles suggest tlie two members of tile Cabinet wouid ilot make sucilt a jour hey unless ail agreement is hear. It is believed au agreement would hot include the full Britain desired, but they are considered sufficient to ensure Britain underinking building beyond what the London Agreement provides, though the existing tonnage would be induced This embodied in artmL 21 ment treaty known as an “Escalator’ clause involving the tramsferance of tonnage. All M. Uriuml’s recent efforts sought to prevent this being involved, and to persuade the French Government to accept certain reductions of its London programme. TIi.M building entailed Britain following suit and an enormous expenditure was added to the large budget deficit. A few puints remain to be settled in connection with tlm proposed agreement which is tripartite with Italy which must be further consulted. LONDON, February 23 The French in London claimed the margin of superiority of the French over the Italian Navy was 244,000 tons usable outside tlie Mediterranean leaving 144,000 in band to counter-balance the German and 100,000 for colonial defence. It is understood Crnigie aimed the margin at 150,000 tons new vessels plus older units of the French Navy. The question of the French subinarine tonnage chieily delayed the Fra neo-British agreement.