Fleets Reduced

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 941, 7 April 1930, Page 9

Fleets Reduced

NATIONS SCRAP BATTLESHIPS Five-Power Pact Possible GESTURE FOR NAVAL DISARMAMENT SPEAKING to America from England, Mr. Hugh Gibson, an American delegate to the Five-Power Naval Conference in London, said tangible fleet reductions had been agreed upon by Britain, the United States of America and Japan. The results so far, he added, were beyond reasonable expectations and indicated the possibility of a Five-Power Pact.

United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 11.30 a.m. RUGBY, Sunday. Mr. Hugh Gibson, American Ambassador to Belgium, and one of tte American delegates to the London Naval Conference, delivered a radio address to the United States this afternoon. He said that during the past week a definite agreement had been reached between the United States, Great Britain and Japan. It meant that from the fleets of the three

Powers nine battleships were to be scrapped without replacement. Under the terms of this arrangement the Japanese battleship fleet would consist of nine battleships. A reduction of the combined

battleship fleets of the three countries would therefore equal in number the third largest battleship fleet in the world. Under the terms of the Washington Treaty the United States, Great Britain and Japan were committed to the laying down of 26 battleships between now and 1936. Under the arrange ments of last week, not one battleship would be laid down during the next six years. The great achievement of this conference was that it had arrived at a basis for limiting all kinds of vessels in the three largest fleets —cruisers, destroyers and submarine tonnage. Umler this, limitation would be far below the lowest limit which was discussed at Geneva in 1927. The results attained so far were beyond reasonable expectations. There was good reason to hope that a five-Power agreement might be

signed before the conference concluded. If the full measure of that agreement could not be had at this session, a three-Power agreement could be made on a basis which would welcome as parties to it the other two Powers when their difficulties had been solved. INTERVIEWS IN LONDON Many of the delegates to the conference attended the England versus Scotland football match yesterday afternoon and at its conclusion the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, motored to Chequers, where he spent a quiet day. Today, no important interviews having been arranged, most of the other delegates spent the day out of London.

M. Briand left yesterday afternoon for Paris to consult his Government, and he is not expected to return until Tuesday. Pending his return it is unlikely that any important change in the situation will take place, as the political questions which have been the subject of conversations between France and Britain form the chief obstacle to further advance. Nine questions are down for answer in the House of Commons tomorrow bearing on the political aspect of the conference, and the interpretation of Article 16 of the League Covenant.

They display a fear that the formula interpreting Britain’s obligations under existing pacts and covenants might imply a new guarantee to France. It has, however, been repeatedly stated by the *Prime Minister that the Government, while willing to define and explain the extent of Britain’s undertakings, is not prepared to increase her commitments. The “Observer” emphasises that il any practical or far-reaching agreement on naval reduction is to be achieved France must be a party to it.