LIMITING ARMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 167, 18 July 1927, Page 7

LIMITING ARMS.

OPTIMISM JUSTIFIED.

Britain And Japan Approaching Agreement. i AMERICA'S WAITING POLICY. ■By Cable.—Press Association.--Copyright.) : LONDON, July 17. j At the Naval Arms Limitation j Conference at Geneva a leading Brii tish expert declared that agreement j between Britain and Japan is closer 1 than appears on the surface. He say#: "A measure of optimism ij now justifiable. How we are going to ■ square the attitudes of Britain and j Japan I cannot at pnesent disclose, but J Japan will not necessarily have to in- | crease her total auxiliary craft strength. "We consider that Mr. Gibson (United States) has committed himself to a 1- —12—8 ratio in 10,000-ton cruisers. That brings us to a point of alignment with Japan, on which we have initiated conversations with the Japanese delegates." The American view is: "We have passed on the baby now to Britain and Japan. Let them get together, and we will then see if we cannot make a third ; party in the Anglo-Japanese accord."'

SUCCESS LIKELY. Britain's Unique Situation Realised. EMPIRE S PROBLEMS. i British Official WirelPss.i 'Received 1 p.m > RUGBY, July 17. Geneva dispatches indicate a renewal of optimism as to the success of the Naval Limitation Conference as a result of conversations during the past two da vs.

In London authoritative circles are al so hopeful, and Lord Birkenhead, in a speech last night, said a spirit had l>een maintained among the three Powers that would yet bring a degree of agreement that would relieve the taxpayers of their countries from any such naval competition as that before the war.

He added he was convinced that as discussions proceeded, there would be a full realisation of the wholly individual position occupied by the British Empire.

"We inhabit a small island," he said, "and a strange destiny has projected our population and extended our influence to many areas the whole world over, for whose safety we, with their inhabitants, are co-operatively responsible.

"A breach of that responsibility never could, and never should be forgiven, by those who come afterwards in these communities or in these islands.

"Britain herself never has ,\t a given moment food for more than seven weeks. No other country in the world is in that situation, and in no circumstances can we agree to an insufficient number of a relatively unimportant class of cruisers, which does not act primarily as a fighting unit, and which is not attached as a necessary element to the battle fleet, but which discharges for us that vital and indispensable service of protecting our food supply and necessarv trade.

"I am satisfied that a situation so peculiar and so unexampled in the world is one which, with careful and sympathetic study, will meet more and more recognition and agreement."

ANGLO-JAPANESE AGREEMENT. 'Received 1.30 p.m. i LONDON, July 17. An Australian Press message from Geneva states that Britain and Japan have reached a practical agreement.