NAVAL CONFERENCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 128, 12 March 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

FURTHER PROGRESS. CONSIDERATION BY EXPERTS. THE QUESTION OF TONNAGES. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.ra.) LONDON, March 11. The inquiry called foi; the heads of the British, American and French delegations on certain technical questions which were found to require further' exploration, was proceeded with throughout yesterday by Mr A. V. Alexander (hirst Lord of the Admiralty; and M. Dumosnil (French Minister of Marine), each accompanied by experts, in the presence of American observers. The investigation is not yet complete. Hitherto, owing to the recent political crisis in France, close examination of the figures set out in the French memorandum, with a view to determining the tonnage that will be apportioned to the Powers in v the proposed global and category table prepared by the First Committee, has not been possible. It is for this purpose that the new inquiry lias been set on foot. The French demands naturally must affect the final figures put forward by Britain, and as America is to have parity with Britain, her naval requirements are also influenced by the figures. It is for this reason that American' observers are attending the inquiry. A long statement on the French case was made yesterday by M; Dumosnil, to which Mr Alexander replied. “The Times” says there appear to l>e doubts whether the French tonnage figures put forward by Britain have been compiled on a strictly comparable basis, and this is one of the points that has to be cleared up. The First Committee of the Conference this afternoon will resume consideration of the questions left undecided in the report of its experts on special ships. One of the points outstanding is whether the tonnage of these special ships which, while not falling within the extra class, do not fit into the proposed categories, should, as France suggests, bo included in the total tonnage to be , allowed to each Power or kept entirely separate in accordance with the British proposal. It also remain's to be -settled whether new vessels built to replace these special ships should go in a separate class or be absorbed into the most suitable category. If a decision is - reached on these points a plenary session will presumably be summoned to accept the report. The French Prime Minister (M. Tardieu) is expected’ to arrive in London on Friday.

The experts of Great Britain and France, with the American observer, at their meeting this morning analvsed the tonnage statement presented in the French case and agreed upon contain figures as a basis for discussion. These figures were reported to the heads of the concerned this morning. M. Briand (France) and Sign nr Grandi (Italy) also had a conversation, which lasted some time. Newspapers state (his evening that the American delegation have' reached the conclusion that the United States would lie unable to accept any consultative pact as a means of facilitating reduction of the French tonnage figures, the feeling of the delegation being that such pact would entail more obligations than appear on the face of it, and that the United States Senate would not ratify any such proposal. At a meeting of the heads of delegations to-night considerable progress was made. Mr Alexander reported verbally on the progress of the First Committee, stating that agreement in substance had been reached regarding the special and exempt classes of vessels. and that apart from the question' of submarines the greater amount of business referred to the First Committee had now been, or would shortly be, laid before the heads of delegations, who would meet again ohTiiufsday.—British Official Wirless.