NAVAL DISARMAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 20372, 2 January 1930, Page 9

NAVAL DISARMAMENT

THE LONDON CONFERENCE PRELIMINARY TALKS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, December 31. It now appears that all the chiefs of the delegates to the London Naval Con ference are likely to arrive early, with a view to a preliminary talk with Mr Ramsay MacDonald Signor Grandi and the rest of the Italian delegation are expected to reach London well ahead of the conference. Spain has nob approached the Bntisn Government with a view to participation, but it is pointed out that she wi.l have the opportunity of reviewing the decision before the Preparatory Disarmament Commission at Geneva, or which Spain is a member. The ‘ Daily Telegraph’s ’ naval contributor has reason to anticipate that the United States will demand at least twenty-one 10,000-ton cruisers, .being 1 hree more than Mr MacDonald suggested to General Dawes. It is understood that, the Washington Navy Department wanted twenty-three, but was overruled. Tho coiupai'ative position would be. The United States, twentyone 10-000 ton vessels mounting 191 8m guns; the British Empire, thirteen 10,000-ton vessels and two 8,400-ton vessels mounting 116 Bin guns. The Amorican fleet therefore would have an advantage of seventy-five Sin guns. On the other hand, Britain would be granted a surplus of small cruisers, displacing about 5,500 tons and carrying Gin guns. It is pointed out that these arrangements would give the United btatos cruising superiority. Naval circles arc unable to understand why, as the British Empire possesses fifteen Sin gun cruisers, built or being built, and the United States thirteen the parity preb lem cannot be solved by America building two additional cruisers and thereafter, like Britain, confining her building activities to small cruisers mounting Gin guns. KING’S OPENING SPEECH BROADCAST ARRANGED. LONDON, January 1. The King’s Speech at the Disarmament Conference on January 21 will be broadcast through 6SW primarily for reception throughout the Empir e. NEW CRUISERS FOR FRANCE. PARIS, January 1. (Received January 2, at 1.30 a.m.) M. Leygues (Minister of Marine) announced at a Cabinet Council meeting that new and separate squadrons had been organised, and were to b© stationed in the Pacific, tke Indian Ocean, off the west coast of Africa, and jin West Indian waters. A flying k squadron, consisting of three new cruisers of the Duquesn© type, had also been created. | The announcement comes on the eVe of the London Conference, and is believed to indicate that France insists that these ships, as a necessary protection for her colonies, cannot be considered as the bare quota allotted to her if, parity with Italy is demanded. BRITAIN’S NEED FOR CRUISERS. LONDON, December 31. ‘ (Received January 2, at 1.30 a.m.) The Emden and Karlsruhe incidents illustrate most clearly the indisputable fact that the cruiser requirements of the Empire are not measurable by the naval strength of other nations,” says Lord Linlithgow, president of the Navy League, in a New Year message. He adds that the length and the importance of the trade routes, and the immense difficulties of bringing action against hostile commerce raiders must necessarily govern cruiser requirements. Naval experts alone are capable of translating the terms of. the British policy, and fighting ships are vital to her security. Britain should not b© committed to any undertaking without full approval of the Admiralty.