CRUISER MAXIMUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 1, 3 January 1922, Page 5

CRUISER MAXIMUM.

LIMITED TO 10000 TONS. EIOHT-DfCH GUNS. AEaOPLASX CARRIERS. (By Cab'.e. — -"ress --sso.iati<--_ — rVprr';-'!it ) WASHINGTON, -lanuary "-. The Nasal Armaments Committee of the Washington Conference mci again on Friday. In (he al'ternocn the ijuo-tion of aeroplane carriers svas considered. The Italian rci rcscntatiic pointed out thai ihe I.mi,eg,- allotted would alloss Italy only otic ship. She required two in order to keep at least one always in commission. He asked for a ipioia of

.-.4.00(1 1011?. or double the allowance originally proposed, on condition that no higher tonnage sva.s allotted to any other >.lc.literrHnean Tower.

Lord l_-c emphasised ihe fa.; that this cla?s of ship svas still in ;he c.pori mental stage.

Admiral l-'bon esked for three ships for France, each of -20.1X10 tons, ts-.-o for F.uropean waters and one fur the colonic-, where the use 01 aircrnft fur poli. c purpose was thought to be of considerable value.

Admiral Knio said that ihe tonnage allotted to Jniran was 100 lose. lie asked for three -hips of a total tonnage of S 1.00.1 tons.

Mr. Hughes r-aiil thai the tonnage asked for by the various delegations reflected ihe .-..nital ship ratio. Ii was finally agreed that the allow ance of aeroplane carriers should be fnllows:---("..M1. Number. Tonnage. Britain -"• 1.'.-..00 ii I'nited Stale- . •'. i:s.-..(ioii Japan . . . H sl.nOO France ....... n ui.oon Italy ... :'■ C], Olid Tno snip- for Prance and '1a...' ss id be smaller than ihe maximum individual tonnage r Unwed to the other ihrep Powers namely. _T.'«in ton.- own ■t' th" desire of Frame to have two lor her homo coasts and one for her colonic-. A proposal ssill lie forward, d t ■> the P.-.isirs dealing with replaeeme-i'.s (! f '..Us type of ve.-sel in view of ,i* prcf.MT experiment a I nature. After agreeing that other technical matter? should he dealt ssith by expert committees and a general agreement drafted The committee adjourned. THE MERCHANT SHIP DEFINED The special representative of the Australian and New Zealand Press Association state- that the proceedings on Friday seem to have removed Anglo-French discord, at any rate for tbe time being. Frankness and compliments alike helped to end the misunderstanding. M. Sarraut announced hi? satisfaction with the present situation. It is known that he has felt the attacks levelled against France from all sides vers- keenly, and be even notified the French Government that his position ss-as becoming intolerable. At "the same lime there arc indications tbat Franco svill not a_rco to the second Root resolution Willi Mr. Balfour's amendment without a further exposition of France'- attitude, and it js-«os=ible that Franco may make coun-ter-proposals. The French counter will probably I'll request to the confer, in c to lay down a definition of merchant ship to prevent large nnd swift vessel? being converted into cruisers in the event uf svar. This matter i« being considered by the naval experts. It i- scry probable that some recommendations svill be made svhieh ss il', he accept able to everyone.

Signs an- increasing of an early end ■ to tlii" 1 conference. "Just about through." svtis the way in which Cue American ofiiciul spokesman described j the position of naval affairs after Fri- j day"? meeting. The matter? outstanding! comprise the second nnd third Root ] resolutions, upon which the delegate* ll of Italy. France and Japan are awaiting, instructions from their Governments, also details of replacements, rules for scrapping, and various other highly technical subject-. There are also rules to be framed tn clarify the questions of svhat are merchant vessels, and thej building of combatant shins, all of svhieh have been referred to a sub-commit tee of experts to draw up recommendations. A naval treaty, emhndying all the agreements, i? already in process of drafting, and it i? possible lo define nosy it- scope and general incidence. VH DANGERS FROM FRANCE. "We must revert lo franco a= a foreign State whose fleet requit'os special study if France insists upon her submarine programme." writes Admiral G. A. Ballard, director of nas-al operation? during the svar. in the coursse of an outspoken article in the "F.vening Nosvs." "All ihe documents in a certain safe at the Admiralty, of svhieh only four people possess the key. svill be labelled most sccrei instruction- for flag officer? in Ihe event of svar ssith France." Will, lUUil.i tons ~f submarines France could make Ihe ('ham el more dangerous for British capiial siiiptlian ihe Germans in llie N'o:t,i Set Britain svould be obliged to maintain _(>0 submarines, the only „ltor....t:vc being conscription. "If the French employed Ihetr submarines in the Mediterranean it would go a long svny toward paralyzing lirit.i-n 'power and influence in Asia M-ior, : Palestine. Kjrypl. and India. :"*u- n 11 ■ position would suit a certain .-,-r. ■of

French politician, svho is out io letminate ihe cordial relation- iieii-.een Britain nnd France, and svou!'. make strong measure- for -clf-dofoii.e \. v .... sary."- iA. aud N.Z. Cable.)