STEADY PROGRESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 898, 15 February 1930, Page 11

STEADY PROGRESS

FOUR POWERS OUTLINE REQUIREMENTS FACING TONNAGES PROBLEM British Official Wireless Reed. 11 a.m. RUGBY. Friday. Witli the appearance of the French memorandum issued last night some hours after that from the Japanese, four out of five Powers at the Naval Conference have made statements of their naval requirements. The Italians have no immediate intention of presenting any detailed outline of their requirements, hut maintain their claim to the principle of parity with every Continental naval Power, while disclaiming any wish actually to build up to the strength of the French Navy. Today’s proceedings at the eonferference will consist mainly of further private conversations between delegates and the continuation by experts of ship classification and other technical matters connected with the compromise scheme of tonnage limitation. The London Naval Conference is now closely engaged on its main task —that of determining the tonnage figures to be allotted to the different Powers in various categories of ships for which a skeleton table has been prepared by experts working under the direction of the First Committee. There have been important contributions to the consideration of the problem of supplying these figures in a memoranda published within the past eight days by the American, British, French and Japanese delegations, and these statements have been undergoing close scrutiny this -week by delegates. It is recognised that when an agreement has been reached regarding these figures, the work of the conference will be practically over for, on o-ther outstanding matters, good progress is being made. FRENCH MEMORANDUM The French memorandum, which w r as supplied to various delegations yesterday, was the main basis of a long discussion today between the principal British, American, and French delegates. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald was accompanied by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, and the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander. Others present were the United States Secretary of State, Mr. H. L. Stimson; Senator Robinson and Mr. Dwight Morrow; the French Prime Minister. M. Tardieu; and the French Foreign Minister, M. Briand. The discussion was a continuation of conversations begun on Wednesday, and resumed yesterday, and the general position which the conference has reached on questions arising out of the production of tonnage figures and classification was reviewed. The discussions will be taken up again early next week. Meanwhile, experts continue to explore the question of ships which it is proposed should be exempt from limitation. It is understood -it has practically been decided to adopt, with some small alterations, the categories of exempt classes provisionally agreed upon at the Geneva Conference in 1927. SPECIAL VESSELS Experts will then proceed to discuss the position regarding special vessels such as patrol boats and seaplane carriers, which, unlike aircraft carriers, are not equipped for machines landing or taking off from their decks; hulks used for training ships; and monitors mounting heavy guns. It is probable that the examination of the position of this special class of vessel will occupy some considerable time. No important developments in connection with the Naval Conference are expected during the week-end. The Pfime Minister left this afternoon for Chequers, M. Tardieu and M. Briand have returned to Paris, Mr. Stimson will spend the week-end in the country, and the Italian delegate, Signor Graxidi, has gone to Brighton.