WHOSE LIMITS?

Grey River Argus, 11 July 1927, Page 5

WHOSE LIMITS?

FOR CRUISERS. Anglo-American Deadlock. ana iN.z». Cable Assn.) GENEVA, July 9. When, the executive of the Disarmament Conference met to-day, for the first time, in the week, a gloomy feeling prevailed regarding the cruiser question. After the meeting, however, there was a happier note aj)parent Japan attempted to provide a compromisce by suggesting that cruisers and destroyers be classed together when estimating the maximum tonnage. It is very doubtful whether this was helpful. After lunch, however, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman (Britain) announced that ho was more hopeful than he was a few days ago. He emphasised the absurdity of Britain being forced to build cruisers of a type she did not want just to suit America. Ho said: “We have never been in favour of the offensive ten-thousand-ton, eight-inch gun cruiser class. It was adopted at Wash ington Conference against our will. Real disarmament can only be achieved by fixing th\ lowest sizes and the longest ages for ships compative with security. Britain’s proposals would save a million sterling on each large cruiser, and half a million on each smaller vessel. There never has been any question of cruiser parity as between Britain ami the United States. Each country can state its own needs.” The pressmen asked:—lf the United States accepted 7,500 tons as the maximum size for cruisers, would you scrap your ten thousand tonners?” Mr. Bridgeman: “I will wait till that course, it sounds an attractive proposiproposition is seriously made. Of course it sounds an attractive proposition for those who have ten thousand tonners to scrap.” After Mr. Bridgeman’s statement, the general impression that prevailed was that the agreement on cruisers was impossible, but that the Conference will try to launch a treaty regarding destroy ers and submarines. Another leading British delegate, summing up the situation, said: The conference is continuing because the Americans are slow to face the real issue. Tn other words, President Coolidge is unwilling to permit the breakdown of his own conference and face the music of American responsibility therefore.” American Feeling NOT VERY CLEAR. THE BRITISH STATEMENT RESENTED. NEW YORK, July 9. The latest reports from Geneva indicate there is now a possibility of a reconciliation of British and American views on cruisers, when the Conference resumes on Monday. Therefore, American opinon, both offieal and unofficial, is swinging towards a renewed hope that the gathering will accomplish its purpose. Generally speaking, however, the attitude. in this country is intransigant. Mr. W. C. Bridgeman’s British statement yesterday lias brought forth deep opposition. It is termed “belligerent” and “irreconcilable” with the pronouncements of the British delegate at the Washington Conference, which agreed with a maximum tonnage of 450 thousand for all the auxiliary surface craft, both destroyers and cruisers. The State Deparment to-day reinstated the belief that it would be useless .to enter into any limitations treaty with cruiser tonnage in excess of 400 thousand. The State Department even went further, pointing out that it had not yet abandoned its expectation that America ’s original proposals for a cruiser tonnage of 250 to 200 thousand tons would be accepted, although 400 thousand tons has been informally suggested by the American technicions as a basis for discussion. There is a Geneva report that a new British proposal is to limit the age of cruisers to twenty-four years, which would bring the British cruiser tonnage to approximately 443,746, and this may permit new grounds for discussion on Monday. This report has strengthened the belief among those with pro-British sentiment that the difficulties may be overcome. They point with approval to the views of Lord Lee, printer in the London Times, that the question of , Anglo- American relations is far too serious to be left to naval experts.

THE SMALLEST CRAFT. LONDON, July 10. An official statement issued at. Geneva says:—The Executive has resumed the discussion of cruisers. The esc suggested that the British battleship proposals be discussed after tne limitation of tho auxilary vessels had been settled. . Amerea stated she would not object to an informal exchange of views on the British proposals covering battleships and air-craft carriers, after an agreement was reached regarding the auxiliaries, but without prejudicing the decision of the participants m W 1931 inference, and also recommencing that if the conference were successful, then the Washington signatories should hold a conference early in 1931 instead ot August 1931, to determine the effects or the Geneva decisions on the n pla ,e--ment programmes, beginning in Novemb Britain reserves tho right to raise the capital ship question at Geneva, wo speetive of the decision on the auxili conference has agreed that, destroyer leaders be of 1850 destroyers of 1500 tons, wiht fivc-im.h gX, and an age limit of sixteen years. An agreement has not yet been reached on the destroyers total tonnage. JAPANESE ATTITUDE. LONDON, July 7. The Exchange Agency’s Geneva correspondent says that the Execu ive was summoned on Friday to decide iho future of the Conference. The British United Press Geneva correspondent says that • apa flatly refused to acquiesce to Amer ca’s willingness to meet Britain s ideas by increasing the page to £° ul * bundle I ti • f This has precipitated the nice in. the Executive.