NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19941, 30 May 1930, Page 12

NAVAL CONFERENCE.

THREE-POWER AGREEMENT

FIVE GREAT SHIPS TO BE

SCRAPPED.

(nott oto ows coaaaspoKDßsrr.) LONDON, April 24

The first part of the proposed treaty, which is to be signed by all tho Powers represented at the Naval Conference, will provide for a'"holiday" in the building of capital ships by, the postponement until after 1936 of the replacements permitted by the Washington Treaty. . Under the terms of that treaty the five Powers were entitled to build between 1931 and 1936 inclusive the following capital ships:— British Empire, 10; United States, 10; Japan, 6; Trance, 3; Italy, 3. France and Italy each were empowered to lay down a 35,000-ton capital ship in 1927 and another in 1929, but this right was not exercised. It is understood that under the terms of the.present agreement Trance and Italy retain the right to utilise this accumulated capital ship tonnage of 70,000 if they should so desire. In regard to the acceleration of scrapping, it is proposed that Great Britain should hasten the scrapping of five capital ships, the United States three, and Japan one, thus bringing, the capital ship totals to the Washington figures of 15, 15, and nine in tho comparatively near future instead of in 1936. The British ships thus to go are the battleships Iron Duke, Marlborough, Emperor of India and Benbow, which would not have normally disappeared until 1934, and the battlecruiser Tiger, which would havo been scrapped in 1935. The United States will get rid of the battleships Florida, Utah and Wyoming, which were normally due for scrapping in 1934. Japan's oldest vessel, the battle-cruiser Kongo, was due for removal from the list in 1934 under the terms of the Washington Treaty. It is understood that this vessel will not be actually scrapped, but that she will be "demilitarised" and converted into a training ship. Great' Britain and America also retain.tho right each to convert one of their vessels' due for scrapping into a training ship. A Safeguard. The third part of the Treaty—that is to say, the three-Power agreement, to bo signed by the ' United States, Great Britain and Japan—must, of course, include some safeguard against the contingency that Prance, for example, might consider it necessary, to build beyond a certain point. Tho Washington Treaty contained & provision that if "the requirements of the national security of any. contracting Power in respect of naval defence are, in the opinion of that Power, materially affected by any change of circumstances the contracting Powers will, at the-request of such Power, meet in conference with a view to the reconsideration of the provisions of the treaty and its ' amendment by mutual agreement."

The Doomed Ships. Itoh Duke, Marlborough, Benbow, Emperor of India were all completed in 1014. Displacement, v 25,000 tons; speed, 21 knots; armament, 10 13.5 in, 12, 6in and 2.4 in A.A. guns, with 4 torpedo tubes. ; . Iron Duke is to be disarmed and dismantled as to fighting equipment, but will bo retained for training purposes.

Tiger was completed in 1914; 28,500 tons; speed, 28 knots; armament 8 13.5 in, 12 6in, and 4 4in A.A. guns, with 4 tubes.

Each of the battleships is manned by 1150 officers' and men, while Tiger has a complement of 1434. All ships served throughout, the war. Iron Duke Was from August, 1914, to December, 1916, flagship of the Grand Fleet. Marlborough, as a squadron flagship, was the only British battleship 4o be torpedoed' at - Jutland. She sustained extensive damage, but did not leave the fighting lino until 'the . main action was over. Benbow and Emperor of India were also present at the battle. Upon the deletion of the ships named the three battle fleets will be constituted as follows:-

Total Big ' Ships.' Tonnage. Guns. Groat Britain .. 15 445,450 118 United States :... 15 461,500 160 Japan .. ■ 9 281,820 88

The discrepancy between the British and American tonnage totals is perhaps less marked than would appear from the above comparison, owing to different methods of estimating displacement, but the American superiority in gun-power is' undeniable. In fact, under tho proposed, treaty, the.American battle,fleet will be, .on the whole, a more powerful striking force than the British. Use of Submarines. ■<• In a speech' delivered at Sheffield Mr Alexander, the First Lord of . the Admiralty, confessed that he was disappointed that we had not been able to secure the abolition of the submarine. Nevertheless, we had arrived at complete agreement on the "regulation of the use of submarines, arid that agreement, while not going so far as some people desired, was a very distinct advance. Another impbrtant point' was the lengthening of the recognised life of different classes of ships, which would secure economy in replacement. Other technical questions, which in tho past had tended to retard disarmament conferences,, had-also -been -the subjeet of agreement, and "it is therefore truo I to. say that tho part of the treaty which is to bo signed by air the fivo Powers is of very considerable importance." ■■';■'.

The SUr'slr Lord 'spoko of the' unanimity -with -which the delegations had Recognised the "ability, .patience, and goodwill" of the, Prime Minister, and he added that tho agreement marked a "nios.t, valuable development in the cementing of our friendship with the United States of America, a-friendship which of itself alone must have a profound effect upon the peacvof the world." Ho also paid a tribute to the "grcat ! goodwill' and 'friendship' which have been evinced by the' Japanese delegation/' and he added' that, though we md not yet achieved.a, settlement. of the v European problem, similar to. the' . Agreement,- "the frank, but ..friendly; nature of the -dis ; ■ cUSEttons which.have place, leads, mo .'to. hope that the: time, is not far distant -wljicn equally good results'-will : bd achieved in- that sphered' * •

An .Invidious Situation.

■ Press comments on,the results of the Conference ,ares on the' whqle favourable. It is the "Morning' Post" which is: reserved in its judgments. "We look on the results 'with one and one - dropping eye,'" says this journal. -"The- arrangement as to 'bruisers, destroyers and submarines is not between the five Powers, but bdtween only three, and i peaces Great Britain in'a most invidious situaiion" between' East 'and West. For, While the: United' States and Japan h9,Ve no-neighbours to consider, we are bounl'fbr ,'our .security to keep-watch oo ,'the shipbuilding of : Prance,> Italy,

Spain, Germany, and Soviet Russia. These disagreeable contingencies would not have, arisen but for the failuro to bring all tho fivo Powers at the Conference into an. accord. Mr Alexander discloses the fact that a reservation clause is to be included, •which will be a modified form of Article 21 in tho Washington Treaty. That is to say, if • other • Powers, outside tho two included in the pact, build to our endangerment, wo reserve tho right to depart from the contract. But that is an invidious necessity, of which Great Britain, from her situation, is likely to havo the odium. This Three-Power Agreement, wo greatly fear, will mako more trouble than it,is worth.