EQUAL STRENGTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 9

EQUAL STRENGTH.

BRITAIN AND AMERICA Solution of ■ Cruiser Problem by Parity. MOMENTOUS EVENT. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) \ - (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, February 7. Among the momentous events of the history of Anglo-American relations will bp the statement issued by Mr. H. L. Stimson yesterday. This proposes to solve the cruiser problem, Arhich was not solved by Mr. Hoover and Mr. Mac Donald last year. The American proposal may be summarised thus:—The United States recedes from her original claim.to liave 21 10,000-ton cruisers against Britain's fifteen so that the respective figures will eventually be, • America eighteen and Britain fifteen, giving the former an advantage of 30,000 tons. She recognises, however, Britain's need of smaller cruisers in which she will have an exess of 42,000 tons, leaving the net cruiser margin in Britain's favour by 12,000 tons. The scheme permits Britain to change her programme if she thinks it necessary ,by increasing her large cruisers to eighteen, and making a proportionate reduction in smaller craft. It is understood on the best authority that Messrs. Mac Donald and Stimson, in the light of America's new proposals, are determined, if they are unable to reconcile the Franco-Italian demands, that they will produce a definite and satisfactory British-Am erican-Japanes eagre e - ment. The tonnage- committee, appointed yesterday, has made considerable progress and meets again on February 8. The naval correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that if complete parity be achieved next year, Britain must presumably. be- .prepared to scrap the four vessels • of the Iron Duke class, now organised' as "a training squadron, and possibly also the battlecruiser Tiger. The United States must discard at least three battleships, the Utah, Florida and Arkansas, or the Wyoming. A sensible compromise seems to have been'reached'as - regards cruiser tonnage. The difficulty of America's eighteen ships of Bin guns as against Britain's fifteen ships is removed'by the proposed system of transfer between the Bin and Gin class. . ' ■ " ' ' _ It may be taken for granted, says the correspondent, that competitive building in the. heavy, cruder . class is now over between-the.United States and Britain. The-same-may 'be said, indeed, of every category of warship. The result will possibly, be unpalatable. to American economists, as the United States, in order to obtain parity, must build ten 10,000-ton cruisers in addition to the eight already afloat or on the stocks. The' "Times,"" in an editorial article, says' no one in Britain and the United States regards war as within the range of possibility, but navies of approximate equal strength will help to put war completely out of the question and give the nations a sense of comfort and -security. The details will require careful examination, and perhaps some adjustment; but the statement seems to offer a basis acceptable to both countries. 1 A contrast is drawn in Washington between Mr. H. L. Stimson's proposal, under which the United States would be given 327,000 tons in, cruiser strength, and the 315,000 tons which was tenta- : tively . suggested last year, and the 300,500 tons which comprise the total provided in America's adopted budding 1 programme, as compared with the known desire of the President, Mr. Hoover,' that the strength might be reduced to 285,000 tons. It is pointed out, however, that it would be necessary, in carrying out Mr. ; Stimson's proposals, ' for the United 1 States, to sacrifice five of the 10,000-ton cruisers, called for in the author ised_ 15- ■ cruiser programme of 1929. The sacrifice would be exclusively in blue prints, as ; work on none of . the ships has been begun. v , It is furthermore felt that the United States would have nothing to fear in British superiority in total cruiser tonnage," because of America's greater number of ships of the 10,000-ton type.