BRITISH CRUISERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20454, 4 January 1930, Page 9

BRITISH CRUISERS.

PROPOSED SACRIFICE.

RECKLESSNESS ALLEGED

(Received January 3. 10.15 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 3

The Daily Telegraph's naval contributor says tho other countries realise that information should be imparted concerning the Five Powers Naval Conference, but the British Admiralty preserves its traditional silence. Nevertheless, in fairness to the Board of the Admiralty tho truth of the position should be known. Tho correspondent states that in 1923-24 the board surveyed the situation most carefully and came to the conclusion that 80 cruisers should bo Britain's minimum. Mr. Baldwin's Cabinet struck out a further eight, leaving 72 cruisers, which Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty and others considered to be inadequate. Since then it has been discovered that Britain requir-s only 50 cruisers. It is difficult to believe that tho present Board of tho Admiralty consented to a reduction to that number without pressure from the Cabinet.

In an editorial article the Telegraph says it fears the Government is about to enter tho conference) in a mood for reckless sacrifice and that Parliament will be faced with an agreement which ought never to ho made.

CONFERENCE OF POWERS.

JAPANESE IN LONDON

British Wireless. RUGBY, Jan. 2. The chief Japanese delegate to the Five Powers naval Conference, Mr. Wakatsuki, in all probability will have informal conversations in a few days with the Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, and the Foreign Secretary, Mr. A. Henderson. Mr. Wakatsuki states that as a result of such talks in Washington ho now thoroughly appreciates the American point of view, and has, hj« believes, enabled the American delegates to understand the Japanese standpoint. On neither side had there been any attempt to forestall the conference by actual negotiation.