Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1934. NAVAL TALKS FAILURE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 December 1934, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1934. NAVAL TALKS FAILURE.

success attends the British Government’s efforts, the Official Wireless messages are apt to be expansive. When failure results, the news is terse. One example of this was supplied yesterday, when the failure of the naval conversations between Britain, U.S.A, and Japan, was camouflaged under the term of “adjournment,” with an expectation that the negotions would be resumed “at some future date.”, A further official, statement is promised, and doubtless this will make the most of what satisfaction may be extracted from the situation, but nothing can alter the fact that the talks failed to achieve their object, and revival of competition in naval armaments appears inevitable. Japan will be blamed mostly for the deadlock, but there has been also serious disagreement between Britain and U.S.A, on important proposals.

Britain’s appeal for smaller capital ships was rejected, and future vessels of this type will have to be not less than 30,000 tons, and may approach the 34,000-ton Rodney in size and cost (about £6 millions). Britain urged restriction of unit

tonnage in cruisers, suggesting a 7,000 limit. France, Japan and Italy were agreeable, but U.S.A, declined. As a result the standard of 10,000 tons and an Bin. gun armament is to be perpetuated, and Britain will probably have to return to it, at a cost of £2.000,000 per ship. Britain desired the total abolition of submarines, and converted U.S.A, to this view. Japan flatly refused.'and France was| similarly determined. Italy was willing, but in view of the French attitude, had to withhold support; to the proposal. An alternative British suggestion that future submarines be- restricted to -250 tons, to disqualify them from acting as High Sea raiders, was unanimously vetoed by the other parties, on the ground that such small craft would be unseaworthy and dangerous to their crews. Similarly, with personnel, the British, plan for ratio limitation was not welcomed. On the chief issue, the maintenance of the 5—5—3 ratio as between Britain, U.S.A, and Japan, the last named insisted on equality, whether the fleets were large or small. This was not conceded by the other two, and it is understood that Japan will now denounce the Washington and London treaties. Consequently the treaties will come to an end on December 31, 1936. After that date, unless a new agree-1 ment has been negotiated in the in-| terval, all the Powers will be free to build whatever warships they

please. The Americans state that if the treaties lapse and Japan claims equality, the United States will build three keels to the Japanese two. Japan declares that in no ease, would she embark on a building race with the United States. She will construct such new ships as circumstances may demand.

. The official Naval Conference, to which the recent talks have been preliminary in the hope of reaching a. basis of agreement beforehand, is due about the middle of next year, and was expected to be held in London. Tn view of the failure of the talks, it is possible that the Conference will not be summoned. If the Powers cannot agree about naval limitations, they are unlikely to accomplish much where other armaments are concerned, and war preparations will abound. It is to be hoped that the realisation of such a deplorable development, will cause wiser counsels to prevail, but, meanwhile, the facts should be faced, and official optimism, or desire to disguise a failure, not accepted. -•