Reducing Naval Strengths

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 99, 18 July 1927, Page 12

Reducing Naval Strengths

Search for a Solution PLENARY CONFERENCE AT GENEVA THERE is hope for some agreement being reached at the Naval Limitation Conference at Geneva, for the British delegates are inclined to accept the challenge of Mr. Gibson (United States) that if England and Japan can agree on a basis of total tonnage within the United States maximum figure, America will join in the agreement.

By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright GENEVA, Friday. Early reflections after the plenary conference were not too cheerful. The speeches seemed to indicate practically no progress. A section of the American journalists was of the opinion that the sooner the conference ended the better. Fortunately this is not the view of the members of any delegation. Those who are mostly behind the scenes insist that there is more progress toward agreement than appears from the speeches at the plenary session. British circles are inclined to take up the challenge of Mr. Hugh Gibson, chief United States delegate, that if an Anglo-Japanese agreement can be reached on a basis of total tonnage within the United States maximum figure, America will join in the agreement.

Mr. Gibson claimed that America and Japan were very nearly in accord. Continuing, he said: “The leading British expert assures me that an Anglo-Japanese agreement is less distant than it appears on the surface.” The British view of the situation is that Mr. Gibson has committed himself to a 12-12-8 ratio in 10,000-ton-ners. That brings the position to a

point of Anglo-Japanese alignment, on which conversations with Japan were begun. A measure of optimism is now justifiable.

The American view of the situation is: “We have now passed the baby on to Britain and Japan. Let them get together. We will then see if we cannot make a third party to AngloJapanese accord.” Mr. Gibson is showing signs of the strain. His staff is planning to take him for a quiet week-end.

It is learned that there will have to be more plenary sessions, and that even with the most favourable developments the conference will continue at least another fortnight.—A. and N.Z.

The challenge referred to is what was said on Thursday by Mr. Gibson:—“We feel now,” he said, “that there is no real obstacle to reaching an early agreement among the three Powers with respect to the limitation of destroyers and submarines. We feel that we are in such close agreement with the Japanese delegation in respect to the total tonnage limitation and the type of cruisers that we can easily find a basis of common agreement with them. If a basis can be found which will be mutually acceptable to the Japanese and British delegations, I feel sure it will be possible for the American delegation to reach an agreement with them.”