NAVAL TREATY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1931, Page 5

NAVAL TREATY

FRANCE AND ITALY.

(British Official 1 Yircicss.)

RUGBY, March IT

A memorandum on the recent negotiations, which resulted in the settlement of Franco-ltnlian difficulties left outstanding at the conclusion of the London Naval Treaty, was prose nted to the House of Commons when trie -Naval Estimates were introduced by 31 r A. V. Alexander (First Cord ot the Admiralty) who said that one very important point discussed at Fans and lloiijp,, and on which they obtained an Agreement was a reduction in the caiibre of guns on the proposed Jie\y capital shijis from thirteen indies, to twelve inches.

Passing on to the vessels whose tonnage was regulated by the Treaty ol London, lie said it was most satisfactory to note that no further construction in what was known as Category A. cruisers, armed with oiglit-'mch guns, was to take place by France and Italy, after the completion of tlielr 19130 programmes. This would mean that each would rest upon the strength of 70,000 tons of the underage ships in that category,

Speaking eu the naval estimates' themselves, Mr Ak’jcahder said that the programme Of construction iiibiUilfed the commencement of t'Vft CrUisers ttf the leaders’ class, 01HJ cruiser of about 3000 tons of the lender class, and eight destroyers, four sloops, and three submarines but the orders would not be placed until the first quarter of 1932'. The programme was merely the normal instalment) of building under the London Naval Treaty. He hoped that the progress made in agreed reductions at the World Disarmament Conference next year would enable 'the Government to postpone many or cancel different items.