NAVAL DISARMAMENT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 262, 1 August 1929, Page 9

NAVAL DISARMAMENT

NEXT CONFERENCE OF POWERS MAY MEET IN LONDON THIS YEAR FURTHER PRELIMINARY CONVERSATION Interest has been aroused in England by the suggestion made in Washington that it might be possible to hold a meeting this year in London of the principal Naval Powers to discuss naval disarmament. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, July 30. The suggestion made in Washington that, it might become possible to hold a meeting between the principal Naval Powers to discuss naval disarmament in London before the end of the present year has created much interest here. It is felt that if the preliminary conversations taking place between the British and United States representatives continue to make satisfactory progress, the meeting of the Powers, which it was agreed at the Washington Conference should take place in 1931, might with the concurrence of the other Powers concerned, be ante-dated in the manner suggested. The American Ambassador, General Dawes, had a further conversation with Mr. Ramsay MacDonald this afternoon on the subject of naval disarmament.

AGREEMENT OF MACDONALD AND DAWES MEETING OF FIVE POWERS FIRST LATER A CONFERENCE AT GENEVA (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Australian Press Association. (Rec. July 31, 11 p.m.) London, July 3L The “Morning Post’s” diplomatic correspondent understands that Mr. MacDonald and General Dawes have practically agreed to the procedure on limitation of armaments conference. First, there will be a meeting of the five Great Powers, America, Japan, France, Italy, and Great Britain, at which the proposals and suggestions formulated at meetings between General Dawes and Mr. MacDonald will be submitted. If it is considered that these suggestions can possibly form the basis of a settlement, then the Washington Conference of 1931 will be called earlier. Resolutions therefrom will then be submitted to a preliminary Disarmament Conference at Geneva, whose purposes will be to bring the rest of the Powers into line. The correspondent deduces from this procedure that General Dawes and Mr. MacDonald have already arrived at some agreement, which evidently deals not only with cruisers, but further limitations of all categories of ships, for the Washington Conference only dealt with capital ships. THE CRUISER EXETER RUMOUR OF SUSPENSION OF WORK DENIED (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, July 30. The Admiralty announces that there is no foundation for the statement which recently appeared in the Press to the effect that the construction of the cruiser Exeter is not being proceeded with. The Exeter is one of the cruisers laid down in the 1927 programme. The two cruisers whose construction has been suspended are those of the 1928 programme.

BRITISH NAVAL PROMOTIONS Australian Press Assn.—United Service. London, July 30.

Sir Osmond Brock has been appointed Admiral of the Fleet. Captain Dewar, formerly of the Royal Oak, has been promoted to Rear-Admiral, and placed on the retired list.