NAVAL CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 9 April 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

DELEGATES STILL WORKING FOR FIVF POWER AGREEMENT SUBMARINE WARFARE (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Bth April. Mr MacDonald had over two hours' conversation i with M. Briand at the House of Commons' this afternoon on the political aspects of the Naval Conference, which were the subject of a private: discussion in London last week and upon which M. Briand consulted his Government in Paris during the week-end.

I Other aspects of the conference were a discussion by delegates and experts during the day at St. James's Palace. Reservations attached by the Japanese Government to their acceptance _of I the compromise tonnage proposals which were agreed upon by tho_ United States and Japanese delegations in London with the full concurrence of the British delegation,.l were , this morning examined by the heads of delegations of the three powers concerned. Very satisfactory progress was made and it is understood that'only one subject is now outstanding. ! This will be' further considered to-morrow. The First Committee of the conference met this afternoon under the chairmanship of Hie First Lord of the Ad-' miralty, Mr UlexaudoiV . A communique stated that the committee considered the report of the Committee of Experts dealing with the unit: size of, submarines and decided to forward" a report with the unanimous recommendations of the First Committee to till l\eads of delegations. The report of the Jurists' Committee on the legal aspects of submarine warfare was,, after .discussion, unanimously adopted and will also be forwarded to the heads of delegations. _ The question of the total abolition of submarines was examined by the First Committee, but various delegations having expressed their views it was clear that no agreement could be reached on this point and the committee, with regret, decided that it; was impossible to recommend abolition.' Passing to consideration of the unit size of submarines, an agreement was, after some disc'ussipu, reached. French delegates? 'supported by the Japanese, agreed with other powers represented to the recommendations of experts that the maximum unit tonnage of a submarine-should be 2000 with a maximum gun, of. $ ~inches, but they asked for three submarines of 2800 tons each armed with' 6-inch guns for the period of the convention which it is proposed should last until 1936. This was ultimately/agreed to, each country being accorded tho/simllar light to build not more than three-such larger vessels on condition that these .'super-submarines are included in the total tonnage allotted for the submarine category. The most iinhortanUof the recommendations made )Jy! thfe committee was endorsement of the -jurists' - report on measures for banishing submarine warfare. On this subject the committee decided to reconuriend yfor adoption by the plenary session a new form of declaration to which all powers represented at the conference, should adhere, and to which other powers not represented should be invited .to give their formal assent:—"The undersigned, duly authorised to that effect on behalf of their respective Governments, hereby make the following declaration, namely: The following are accepted as the established rules °of international law—firstly, in their action with regard to merchant ships submarines must conform to tllG rules to which surface war vessels are subject; secondly, in particular, except in case of persistent refusal to stop on being dulv summoned or of active resistance to visit or search, a warship Whether a surface vessel or submarine, may not sink or render incapable of navigation a merchant vessel without having first,placed passengers, crew, and ship's papers in a place of safety, lor this purpose a ship's boats are not regarded as a place, of;'Safety unless the safety of passengers arid crew is assured in existing sea and weather conditions by the proximity of land or the presence of another vessel." At the conclusion of the conversation between Mi- MacDonald and M. Briand a communique, was; issued;which states: "M Briand informed Mr MacDonald of the result of the conversations which he had in Paris, and on his side Mr MacDonald stated the results of discussions which ,had; ( takon;place in the meantime in London."','' " !'' . It is understood the discussions will be continued to-morrow. In the House of Commons Mr MacDonald said the Government were still working to seciu'e^CMPrPOwe l, agreement, t