GENEVA CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19799, 21 November 1927, Page 9

GENEVA CONFERENCE.

REPLY TO VISCOUNT CECIL. BRITISH ADMIRALTY'S POLICY. (British Official Wireless.) A. and N.Z. • RUGBY, Nov. 18. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman, in a speech last evening, said that at the recent Naval Arms Limitation Conference in Geneva, he had worked with Viscount Cecil, who was an old personal friend of his. They had worked together with the greatest cordiality, and in the conduct of the business at the conference there had been no difference between them on any important step. "Wo went to Geneva," he said, "with our plans very carefully prepared. We were very clear as to what our policy ought to be. If our proposals had been carried, there would have been a saving of something like £50,000,000 to £100,000,000 in a few years to the British taxpayer, and a standard would have been set of a much lower aggressive strength for the fleets of the world. "We felt that the proper way to limit armaments was to reverse the policy of building larger and longer ships, and to reduce their maximum size.

"There were two things which I could not accept. I could not agree to something which , would deprive Britain of the security which is necessary for her existence, or to sign an agreement in the name of limitation which in my opinion would not have reduced, but would have increased armaments, and the expense of the armaments of the world."