THE NAVAL IMPASSE.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17971, 17 March 1930, Page 7

THE NAVAL IMPASSE.

NO WAY OUT YET. FRANCE THE STUMBLING BLOCK. ITALY READY TO A*CQUIESCE. United Press Assn—Slec. Tel. — Copyright. LONDON, March 14. There is no sign yet that a way has been found to bridge the gulf between the wishes of France and Italy. It is generally believed that Mr MacDonald. s talk on Sunday with M. Tardieu will be the most decisive event of the whole Conference. It is stated from a responsible quarter that Italy’s unyielding attitude with respect to parity is chiefly based on resentment that France alone is attempting to impose a limit on Italy s sovereign rights. It is not a question of Italy wanting to, or having money to build as many ships as France, but of having a continuance of the principle of parity with France conceded in the Washington Treaty. In relation to capital ships and aircraft carriers, if France will agree to a limit of 500,000 tons Italy will instantly assent, though perhaps she will never want to build to that figure. The latest suggestion is that Italy might be contented if she were assured of parity in the Mediterranean, but the Italian spokesman declares, “We are ready to accept any figure Britain and America suggest to us, but it must be on a parity with the strongest Continental Power.” France’s reply to this statement is that parity means that her ileeL must he divided on three fronts, while Italy’s is concentrated on only one; therefore parity would make France inferior in the Mediterranean. The British and Americans as a last resort are beginning tentatively to consider what the acceptance of France’s full contention for a total strength working out at 060,000 tons would entail in the direction of increasing the British, American and Japanese totals. FURTHER PROGRESS. JAP AN-AMERICA COMPROMISE. THREE-PARTY PACT POSSIBLE. FRANCE’S FIRM ATTITUDE. United Press Assn.—Ele* Tel.—Copyright. LONDON, March 15. There seems to he a good prospect of a three-Powers agreement being concluded at the Naval Conference. America and Japan have reached a compromise which has been approved by both delegations and their naval advisers, it is now' being submitted to the Japanese Government, whose assent is expected on Tuesday. The terms of the compromise are that America will have 180,000 tons of vessels carrying 8-inch guns and Japan 108,000 tons. America will bring her total to 18 cruisers by adding one in 1934, 1935, and 1936 respectively. Britain will have 15, and Japan by .1936 will have eight of the Nachi type plus four 7100-ton 8-inch gun cruisers of the Kato type. This whittling down of Japan’s large cruisers has been achieved by concessions in the ratios of smaller ships. The relative figures are:—

This makes it easier for Britain to enter a three-Powers agreement, hut it is still a problem how she will stand if France extensively builds 10,000lon cruisers. As a solution of ibis, perhaps also as a temporary solution of the Franco-Italian impasse, it is suggested that France and Italy until 193(3 should submit their minimum building needs for embodiment in a treaty, leaving the vexed issue ol’ their parity to be worked out at a later conference. Another suggestion is that France and Italy should agree to a rigidly lixed tonnage strength in the Mediterranean, but that offers little hope, because the Mediterranean is only three days’ steamiing from other French ports. The British anti /American view is to let France and Italy discuss any proposal, however, small, if only to bring Hi cm nearer. Despatches from Paris this morning all'affirm that M. hardieu, the French Premier, has nothing new to offer. It seems to be a case with France of security or nothing. The Sunday newspapers agree that a three-Powers agreement between Britain, .America and Japan is in sight. Several advocate its conclusion, leaving France and Italy to go their own way in preference to including them within its terms and forcing an increase instead of a reduction in the three Powers’ programmes. The French Premier, M. Tardieu, has arrived in London. lie refuses to divulge whether it is proposed to make any change in the French altitude. WASHINGTON, March 13. At White House it is intimated that the President, Mr Hoover, regards the outcome of the Naval Confcrnecc most optimistically. Mr Hoover believes a period of clear sailing should follow the rejection by Britain and America of all political pacts and that as the negotiators arc no longer reiterating an irreducible minimum both are getting down to realities in their tonnage figures.

America. Japan. Tons. Tons. Light cruisers . , , 143,000 104,000 Destroyers 150,000 105,000 Submarines 52,000 52,000