SUBMARINES IN WARFARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20309, 17 July 1929, Page 10

SUBMARINES IN WARFARE.

Should there be realised the hope that submarines will be banned as weapons of warfare, a hope expressed by the First Lord of the Admiralty, the British load given at the Washington Conference will at length be followed. Lord Lee, then First Lord, proposed in the name of the British Government ''the total and final abolition of submarines. ' The French delegates raised strong objection, saying that, while France did not desire submarines for offensive purposes, she needed them for the defence of her coast and her colonial possessions. Italy pleaded a similar necessity, and Japan, though described by her spokesman as "unconditionally opposed to all abusive uses of submarines, such as were recently practised by a eer-, tain nation." took the view that they were necessary for purposes of defence and that their use in this way was justifiable. Speaking for the United States, the Secretary of State announced that the American Advisory Committee was of opinion that the retention of a large submarine force might at some future time result in the United States holding its outlying possessions ; he therefore aligned himself with the opponents of the proposal. Not seriously daunted, Lord Balfour, who led the British delegation, next day returned to the subject. "The British Empire," he said, "has no hope of getting any important support for this course at this conference, but I earnestly trust that our debates may go beyond the limits of this room, and even beyond those of the public sessions." He submitted a formal British statement for record, to the effect that tho use of submarines, whilst of small value for defence purposes, led inevitably to acts inconsistent with the laws of war and the dictates of humanity, and that Britain requested united action forbidding the maintenance, construction or employment of submarines. The British proposal, although it made a profound impression, was not adopted; but a subcommittee was appointed to give it further consideration. Beyond the framing of a draft treaty prohibiting the use of submarines as commerce destroyers, nothing definite was done; but the British Government of that day deserves all credit for the suggestion.