NAVAL STRENGTH

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 240, 24 July 1935, Page 5

NAVAL STRENGTH

AGREEMENT WITH GERMANY.

RATIO PRINCIPLE ABANDONED. STATEMENT IN THE COMMONS. /United Press Association—Copyright). LONDON, July 22. In a debate in the' House of Commons on the Admiralty vote, the First Lord of the Admiralty (Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell) said that after December, 1936, all existing naval agreeme'hts would come to an end and unless they could put something in their place all navies in future would be entirely unrestricted. It was unfortunately necessary to abandon the principle of ratios in the efforts to obtain new' agreements, because some countries felt it wounding to their national pride. Instead they had to have a system of programmes. Coming to the question of the agreement with Germany, the First Lord compared the task of trying to secure international agreements with the putting together of a jig-saw puzzle, in w r hieh the pieces were continually altering in shape, size and colour. Until recently it had proved almost impossible to get any kivo pieces together. For this reason the Admiralty welcomed the proposal of a great country like Germany to fix its ratio for ever at a point in relation to our ow r n, which wo could view' without undue -anxiety. The Minister claimed that the Government did benefit, not to Britain alone, "but to the w-orld, when it closed with the German offer. With the object of obtaining an agreement on building programmes they had been having bilateral confidential conversations with a good many countries. The conversations were not conferences at which they could settle anything, hut were to pave the way to a conference which they hoped might he held at the end of this year. . Mr David Lloyd George (Liberal), referring to his controversy with S-ir B’olton Eyres-Monsell, at the beginning of this month, quoted reports in the newspapers. He asked why the First Lord had not contradicted them if they were not correct. Did the Germans, either at the preliminary talks or at the conference, intimate to the Admiralty that they were prepared to co-operate in the abolition of submarines P

Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell: Certainly I said so.

Mr Lloyd George: Did we “turn it down” on the ground that France and others would not accept it? Sir Bolton: That is absolutely untrue. They said they would co-operate. We decided to put the. proposal forward' when w r e got a geneial confeience, at which something could be done. Mr Lloyd George: After you had given Germany more submarines: & Sir Bolton: We will have a better chance because Germany will be with us.

Discussing the Anglo-German pact, Sir Bolton said: “The House must realise that we must face up to the realities, especially when one is dealing with dictators. Mr Winston Churchill (Conservative) regretted that Britain condoned a flagrant breach of the Treaty of Versailles. The mobility of the fleet was greater after the war than before the war. When faced with German danger that mobility would pass and the “whole argument for a base at Singapore to protect our interests in the Indian Ocean and maintain connection with Australia would be affected. A\o would he unable, when the German Fleet was built, to move any large portion of the British Fleet far from home. —British Official Wireless. Opposition speakers criticised the recent naval agreement with Geimany as not contributing to disarmament, failing to provide for limitation ol tonnage, and assuring German supremacy in the Bialtic. Mr George Hall (Labour) said he feared a fresh impetus to naval buildincr, and observed that among the nations affected by the Washington and London Naval Treaties 700 ships would be due for replacement between 1930 and 1942, and the estimated total cost of replacement was £800,000,000.

AMERICA DISAPPOINTED. NO HOPE OF CONFERENCE. QUESTION OF TREATY LIMITS. WASHINGTON, July 22. Sir Bolton Eyres-MonscU’s announcement that Britain would abandon the ratio principle of naval limitation was received with disappointment, but apparently with little surprise, by official circles here. Neither the State Department nor the Naval Department commented publicly, but apparently all hope is abandoned that the Naval Coni'eionce scheduled for this year will he held. On the other hand, it is expected that Britain will abide by the 5-5-3 ratio until December 31, 1937, when the ratio provisions of the treaties of 1922 and 1930 expire. Senator Iv. Pittman (chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee) declared that the statement by Sir Bolton Eyrcs-Monscll constituted the abandonment of the Washington Treaty, “ft is just another move construing treaties as only scraps of paper,” he said. Senator P. Tranmell (chairman of the Senate Naval Committee), however, expressed the belief that the British Government did not intend to have an open season for naval building until 1937.

American officials have stated that the United States has not insisted on

continuing the precis© 5-5-3 ratio, but has advocated! limitation of navies to equality of security, as opposed to tlie Japanese demand for equality of armaments. Under the projected construction programme the American Navy is expected to reach treaty strength in 1942, and it is unofficially indicated that the Government has no intention of going beyond th.at unless some other Power creates a definite issue by literally breaking down the naval treaties. To-day Mr Roosevelt held a conference with several advisers, on foreign affairs and the international situation, with particular attention to the maintenance of American neutrality in any conflict. It is learned that the discussion on neutrality touched upon the possibility of legislation designed to prevent the United States becoming embroiled in foreign conflicts. Fouir Bills affecting United! States interests in war-time are pending.

WELCOMED IN JAPAN. PROSPECTS OF WORLD PEACE. (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, July 23. Naval circles welcome Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell’s announcement of the abandonment of ratios, which is considered likely materially to revive the prospects of favourable world peace. It is understood that Japan will gladly endorse the principle of disclosing building programmes.