NAVAL TREATY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 277, 4 September 1936, Page 5

NAVAL TREATY.

AMERICA’S REPLY TO BRITAIN. RETAINING SURPLUS SHIPS. (United Press Association—Copyright.) NEW YORK, September 2. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the United States has informed Britain that she must “vhry reluctantly” keep in service after the end of the year, 40,000 tons of over-ago destroyers in excess of tho total permitted by the London treaty of 1930, this being America s reply to Britain’s invocation of the escalator clause.

The notification is contained in a note sent to Britain, but since it is unpublished, the reasons advanced by the United States are not divulged. Japan’s action to-day in notifying Britain that she would ho obliged to retain surplus submarines to an extent corresponding with British surplus destroyer tonnage, is viewed here as a direct result of the American action. Indications arc that the United States will consider the Japanese step another and independent invocation of the escalator clause, and will probably make discreet inquiries in Tokio about the reasons for it, though it is expected that the Japanese will probably allege the presence in the Pacific of a sizeable fleet of Soviet submarines. ATTITUDE OF JAPAN. KEEPING ADDITIONAL SUBMARINES. LONDON, September 2. A Note was received at the Foreign Office from the Japanese Embassy in London containing the Japanese Government's reply to the Note of the British Government sent on July 15, in which Britain announced her intention to invoke the escalator clause under the London Naval Treaty of 1930, and to kep 40,000 tons of over-age destroyers in excess of the 150,000 tons permitted under Article XVI. of the treaty. ■ In its Note the Japanese Government states its intention’ in these 1 circumstances to keep 15,593 tons, of. submajr*Lues as well as 11,059 tons of destrojeis in excess of the treaty figures to make up the extra 28,000 tons to which they become entitled in view of the'British invocation of the escalator clause. The reason given is that it has not sufficient over-age destroyer tonnage to make up the total. Tho Japanese Government in its Note .does-not .adduce any legal arguments.to support the correctness of its proposed action unde* tho terms of the London Treaty l . It is feared that tho Japanese docision will disturb British and American submarine ratios for which reason it is being carefully considered. British Official V ireless.