NAVAL CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 8 March 1930, Page 7

NAVAL CONFERENCE

READY FOR RESUMPTION

BRITISH NAVAL ESTIMATES REDUCTION 01.' PERSONNEL 'United Press Association—By Elcctrio Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 6LII .March. Willi Ihe arrival of tlic French ilc legation, apart from i\i. Tardieu who has gone Lo i In- Hood areas to organise relief, everything is ready for the full resumption of llie -Naval Conference. .Meetings start to-morrow. Mr MacDonalil eonforred with M. Briand to-night.

I The most important event to-day boar- ; ing cm the conference was the publication of Lho British naval estimates. I The "Daily Telegraph's" naval correspondent points out. thai for the first li mi record Lite Admiralty will hegin the financial year without authority to lay down a single ship of any description. This unpreeedented step was lal.cn hee.'iuse I lie Government decided not to formulate its programme til] it knows the resull of the confercinc. Even mole important than the cessation of ship-building is the reduction of the personnel, which seems to presuppose a shrTnliago of I he fleet which at ihe present .stage of the conference is hardly warranted in the British navy, as at the present moment there arc only thirteen capital ships in full commission on the basis of instant readiness for action, which is believed to be the Invest in our history as a great naval power. Referring to Singapore the "Daily Telegraph's'' correspondent says that the Government, after reviewing the situation, presumably is consulting with the dominions and iinds itself committed to the task of going on with the new base. The League of Nations Union passed a resolution reaffirming the conviction that owing to the security provided by Ihe League Covenant, and the P'ici of Paris the Naval Conference should result in a large all-round reduction of armaments. It is appealing to Mr MacDonald to rise his full resources of authority and influence to restore the confident atmosphere in which the conference began its labours.