NAVAL ARMAMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20481, 5 February 1930, Page 11

NAVAL ARMAMENTS.

CONFERENCE IN LONDON.

ELASTIC TONNAGES ISSUE.

FRANCE PROPOSES TWO SCALES.

OPPOSITION ANTICIPATED.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON. Feb. 3.

A preparatory meeting of the First Committee of the Five Powers Naval Conference will be held to-morrow morning. Mr. H. L. Stimson, chief United States delegate, is to confer with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, this afternoon.

No great progress is expected as a result of the meeting of the committee as M. Tardieu and M. Briand are still in Paris. No fresh proposals have been circulated owing to the elucidation which is necessary of the French and British proposals. ,

There are indications that this week's discussions of elastic tonnages will produce the greatest problem of the whole agenda. In the French suggestion there would be one scale for Britain, America and Japan and another for France and Italy. It is safe to say that the three firstnamed Powers will oppose the application of the French idea to the transfer of battleships and Bin. gun cruisers, as it would mean giving France and Italy freedom to interchange their entire range of ships.

The larger Powers are intent upon confining elasticity to 6in. gun-cruisers downward covering both cruisers and submarines for the protection of commerce to which the French mind apparently is strongly wedded. Behind the idea of a separate Continental scale is the right to transfer 20 per cent., while Britain, America and Japan would be limited to 10 per cent. The wider elasticity naturally raises the point that France and Italy, by building large cruisers, could upset the balance of British, American and Japaneso reckonings and also might embarrass Britain, the protection of whose commerce needs to extend beyond mere Mediterranean and African interests.

France, so far, has not discussed f nature of her claims in regard to submarines. It is felt that this problem must arise immediately because the question of quotas cannot be dealt with until it is seen what strength in submarines France and Japan desire.

SUBMARINE FLEET.

DEMANDS OF FRANCE.

AWKWARD QUESTIONS LIKELY.

(Received February 4, 11.50 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 4

The Daily Telegraph's naval correspondent states that in anticipation of Franco's insistence upon a fleet o£ submarines comprising a strength 126,000 tons there is a probability that the American delegates will raise the question of the Root resolutions, which form the appendix to the Washington naval treaty, and in which are incorporated seven articles, four relating to submarines and another to the use of poisonous gas. In view of France's gigantic submarine programme the questions which will be put to her delegates in regard to her intentions toward the Root resolutions might be embarrassing. LIMITATION PLAN. SUGGESTIONS BY PRIT^IN. HOPES FOR A COMPROMISE. British Wireless. RUGBY, Feb. 3. The delegates to the Naval Conference were again in contact to-day. Tho main problem under consideration at the moment is the suggested compromise between the method of limitation by categories of ships and by total tonnage. Broadly stated, the suggestion is that in certain classes of vessel a fixed amount of tonnage might be transferred from one category to another. The categories affected by the idea, the amounts which it is considered could be transferred and the constitution to govern such an arrangement involve numerous and complicated considerations. These, it is understood, will be discussed further at to-morrow's meeting of the First Commit teo.

So far promising progress has been mado with the proposal, but the attitude of all tho delegations requires to be defined upon it before any decision can he reached. Expressions of opinion are expected to take a more definite form in committee to-morrow.

The British delegates have formulated a set of compromise proposals. These were circulated among the other delegations this afternoon and will bo considered at I to-morrow's meeting. They can be regarded as Britain's contributions to the discussions inaugurated last week by M. Massigli, French expert. The proposals follow largely the old British proposals. The categories suggested in them, namely capital ships, air-craft-carriers and cruisers, are subdivided into two classes—cruisers with Bin. guns and those with 6in. guns and under, also destroyers and submarines. In regard to small cruisers and destroyers it is understood that the British proposals leave IHe way open for an arrangement whereby a complete transfer, up to 100 per cent., might bo mado between 6in. gun cruisers and less, and tho destroyer class. This elasticity is designed to enable certain countries to fulfil their special requirements in those classes of ships. It is believed that the suggested compromise will be found to form a satisfactory basis for further discussion .and that tho conference will be able soon to devote itself 1.6 other problems.