NAVAL PACT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 128, 12 March 1931, Page 5

NAVAL PACT

FRANCO-ITALIAN AGREEMENT. THE EFFECT ON CONSTRUCTION. THE BRITISH ESTIMATES. • (United Tress Association —Copyright). (Received This Day, 10.10 n.m.) LONDON, March 11. A memorandum on the recent negotiations which resulted in a settlement of the Franco-Italian difficulties left outstanding at the conclusion of the London Naval Treaty, was presented to the House of Commons when the Naval Estimates were introduced by the First Lord of jthe Admiralty (Mr A. V. Alexander). The First Lord shid that one very important point discussed in Paris and Rome, and on which they obtained agreement, was redaction of the calibre of the guns for proposed new capital ships from 13 inches to 12. Passing on to vessels whose tonnage was regulated by the Treaty of London, Mr Alexander said it was most satisfactory, to note that no further construction in what was known as Category A cruisers, armed with eight- * inch guns, was to take place by France or Italy after completion of their 1930 programmes. This would mean that each would rest upon a strength of 70,000 tons of under-age ships in that category. . . Speaking on the Naval Estimates themselves, Mr Alexander said. that the programme of construction included the commencement of two cruisers of the Leander class, one cruiser of about 5000 tons and eight destroyers, four sloops and three submarines. The orders, however, would not lie placed until- the first quarter of 1932. The programme was merely the normal instalment of building under the London Naval Treaty. He hoped that progress in agreed reductions at- the AAorld Disarmament Conference next year would enable the Government- to postpone manv, or cancel different, items. —British'Official Wireless. \ ATTITUDE OF JAPAN. . CONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. <United Prese Association—Copyright). (Received This Day. 8.30 a.m.) KOBE, March 11. The Cabinet has approved the draft of the naval reply to Britain regarding the naval agreement with France and Italy. ■ , „ - ... It is stated that the renly signifies acceptance only conditionally and does not restrain japan’s future attitude. The reply expresses sharp disapproval of France’s battleship programme and the submarine allotment is inimical to the growing world desire for disarmament* if the balance, thus upset results in the application of the “Escalator” Clause the future of disarma- , ment is regarded as gloomy. Japan expects France at the next- Disarmament Conference .to consent to reduction. ' ,