NAVAL STRENGTHS

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 141, 14 May 1930, Page 7

NAVAL STRENGTHS

BRITAIN AND AMERICA. EFFECT OF LONDON TREATY, INQUIRY BY SENATE. (United Press Association—By Eleetrifl Telegraph—Copyright). Received May 14, 9.25 a.m. WASHINGTON, May 13. Mr 11. L. Stimson continued his testimony before the Naval Affairs Committee of the Senate to-day. In reply to a question he said : “The availability of merchant ships enters into the question of combat strength, but it would be impossible to include that in the treaty.” Replying to a question by Senator Johnson, lie said:— “Some naval officers did not consider the Rodney and Nelson markedly superior to the United States battleships.” Mr Stimson denied that the battleships would become obsolete or that eight inch cruisers could take the place of the latter. The treaty would save four hundred million dollars battleship replacement costs. Defending the “escalator clause” in the London Naval Treaty upon questioning by Senator Bomb. Mr Stimson said:— “We thought that this was the best means, because it places building cn the conscience of a Power, which must get up and say that its security/ is menaced. We thought that punlic opinion would prevent any nation lightly having recourse to the clause.” Mr Stimson added that lie believed the British Labour Government would consider it a matter for regret and mortification if it were necessary to build thereunder.