SUBMARINE WARFARE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 152, 9 April 1930, Page 5

SUBMARINE WARFARE

PROPOSED AGREEMENT. ENSURING SAFETY OF LIVES. RECOMMENDATION TO CONFERENCE. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, April 8. Mr J. Ramsay MacDonald had over two hours’ conversation with M. Briand, at the House of Commons this afternoon, on the political aspects of the Naval Conference, which were the subject of private discussion in London last week, and upon which M. Briand consulted his Government in Paris during the week-end. Other aspects of the Conference were discussed by delegates and experts during the day at St. James’s Palace. The reservations attached by the Japanese Government to their/ acceptance of the compromise tonnage proposals, which were agreed upon by the United States and Japanese delegations in London, with the full concurrence of the British delegation, were this morning examined by theheads of the delegation of the three Powers concerned. Very satisfactory progress was made, and it is understood that only one subject is now outstanding. This will be further considered to-morrow. The First Committee of the Conference met this afternoon under the chairmanship of the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr A. V. Alexander). >

A communique states that the committee considered the report of the Committee of Experts dealing with the unit size of submarines and decided to forward the report, with the unanimous recommendation of the First Committee, to the heads of delegations.

The report of the Jurist Committee on the legal aspects of submarine warfare was, after discussion, unanimously adopted and will also he forwarded to the heads of delegations'. The question of the total abolition of submarines was examined by the First Committee, but the various delegations having expressed their views it was clear that no agreement could be reached on this point and the Committee with regret decided that it was impossible to recommend abolition. Passing to the consideration of unit size of submarines, agreement was reached after some discussion. The French delegates, supported by the Japanese, agreed, with the other Powers represented, to the recommendations of the experts that the maximum unit tonnage of submarines should be 2000, with a miximnm gun of five inches, but they asked for three submarines of 2800 tons each, armed with six-inch guns, for the period of the convention, which it is proposed should last until 1936. This was ultimately, agreed to, each country being accorded a similar right to build not more than three such larger vessels on condition that these super-submarines are included in the total tonnage allotted for the submarine category. The most important of the recommendations made by the committee was the endorsement of the jurists’ report on measures for humanising submarine warfare. On this subject the committee decided to recommend, for adoption for the plenary session, a now form of declaration to .which all the Powers represented at the Conference should adhere and to which other Powers not represented should he invited to give their formal assent, as follow:

“The undersigned, duly authorised to that effect on behalf of their respective Governments, hereby make the following declaration, namely: The following are accepted as established rules of international law Firstly, in their action with regard to merchant ships, submarines must conform to the rules of international law to which surface war vessels are subject. Secondly, in particular, except in the case of persistent refusal to stop on being duly summoned, or of active resistance to visit or search, a warship, whether a surface vessel or a submarine, may not sink or render incapable of navigation a merchant vessel without having first placed the passengers, crew and ship’s papers in a place of safety. For this purpose the ship’s boats are not regarded as a place of safety unless the safety of the passengers and crew is assured in existing sea and weather conditions by the proximity of land or the presence of another vessel.”

_At the conclusion of the conversation between Mr MacDonald and M. Brinnd a communique issued stated: “M. Briand informed Mr MacDonald of the result of conversations which he had in Paris, and on his side Mr MacDonald stated the results of the discussions which had taken place in the meantime in London. It is understood the discussions will he continued to-morrow.

In the House of Commons Mr MacDonald said that the Government was still working to secure a Five-Power agreement.

THE THREE-POWER TREATY. NEARLY READY FOR SIGNING. LONDON, April 8. It is learned that the consideration of a three-Power Treaty lias so progressed that the pact will shortly he ready for signing. Australia, New Zealand and Canada will sign separately from Britain, in accordance with the 1926 Imperial Conference declaration. Tt is stated that South Africa will not sign, not being interested in the Pacific Ocean. The Treaty means a considerable saving in building programmes, but reservations give the right to resummon the signatories if building by European Powers makes it necessary. ANGLO-FRENCH DIFFICULTY. AGREEMENT DEPENDS ON SOLUTION. LONDON, April 7. The hopes of achieving an agreement on the major questions before the London Naval Conference are denendent upon the result of the Anglo-French efforts to devise a formula offering an agreed interpretation of Article 16 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, and the annex of the Locarno Treaty, which would satisfy French security demands but would not increase Great Britain’s overseas commitments.

The newspapers point out that if agreements were made it would remain to be seen whether a formulp accept-

able to Great Britain would lead to a substantial reduction of French tonnage and solve the problem caused by Italy’s demand for parity with the largest Continental Naval Power. The Anglo-French conversations have been watched with great interest here, and in Parliament and the Press anxiety is displayed lest any' new interpretations should increase Great Britain’s obligations. M. Briand is expected to return to London to-morrow, after his week-end consultation with M. Tardieu (French Prime Minister) in regard to formulae which have been tentatively evolved in the course of the Anglo-French, discussions in London.

PRACTICALLY AGREED. ANGLO-FRENCH PRINCIPLES. (Received This Day, 1.20 p.m.) LONDON, April 8. It is officially explained that the true definition of the Anglo-French discussion during the last 10 days is the drawing up of an agreed statement defining the sanction clauses of the Covenant. No actual formula has been either accepted or rejected by Paris, but Britain and France are practically agreed in principle. JAPANESE REPLACEMENTS. BRITAIN AND AMERICA AGREE. (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, April 8. Britain and America have agreed to Japan’s earlier replacement of light cruisers and destroyers. The only outstanding point is the transfer of destroyer tonnage to .submarines.