POWERS' SEA STRENGTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20490, 15 February 1930, Page 11

POWERS' SEA STRENGTH.

FRENCH POLICY STATED.

PAUSE IN BUILDING.

COMPARATIVE FIGURES QUOTED.

RIGHTS NOT EXERCISED.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, (Received February 14, 8.25 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 13.

The Premier of France, M. Tardieu, in a statement to journalists to-day, said his country shared the British and American desire for an agreement and considered it necessary to specify her position. Compared with her pre-war navy France had considerably reduced it. Whereas in 1914 she had in service, including vessels laid down, 1139 warships, now she had in service, being built or authorised 681 ships. Her naval budget alone among the Powers was below the pre-war level. Like Britain, without awaiting the result of the present conference, France had considerably cut down her naval building. It should be pointed out also that France alone had not built any ships between 1914 and 1920. Her dockyards in those years were occupied in the making of ammunitions for the Allies.

If, as proposed in the British and American communiques, the delegates to the conference were to take as a ground for agreement the establishment of building programmes for 19304936 France would accept that with the double reservation that all the delegates should accept it and that the French Parliament ratified the arrangement.

The French fleet tonnages in 1936 would then be as follows Capital ships under the Washington Treaty, 156; not under the ' Washington Treaty, 52; cruisers, 10,000-tons, 100; old cruisers, 8-inch guns, 24; small cruisers and destroyers, 258; aircraft-carriers, 32; submarines, 99; total, 724.

The size of capital ships under the plan would be between 20,000 and 25,000 tons.

France had not used her rights under the Washington Treaty, to the extent of the replacement of 70,000 tons. Now she would be obliged, owing to the recent new type of battleship, to use part of or the whole of that tonnage if other new types were built. France desired again to insist that any decision at this conference must be related to limitation of land and air armaments. Like Britain and America France was profoundly convinced that war between France and either Britain or America was equally as unthinkable as one between Britain and America. Her programme, like theirs, was strictly defensive in conformity with the agreements to which she was a party, particularly the Kellogg Pact.

Therefore France would not be alarmed if Britain and America either reduced or increased their armaments in order to reach the desired agreement. The following is a comparison of the 1914 and 30 naval tonnages built, being built or authorised:—. . 1914. 1930. Tons. Tons. Britain .. . 2,476,000 1,296,000 United States. . 964,000 1,349,000 Japan • • • * 646.000 853,000 Italy . ... 686j 000 360,000 France .. 1,139,000 681,000

STATEMENT REVIEWED.

TARDIEU AND JOURNALISTS.

QUESTIONS THAT WERE NOT PUT

(Received February 14, 11.15 p.m.)

LONDON. Feb. 13

There was a large attendance of journalists afc M. Tardieu's first press conference in St. James' Palace. The French Premier caused amusement by having a special chair brought in, whereas the British Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, usually sits at the end of his desk or leans against the wall. M. Tardieu read his statement in rapid French. Then he remarked in French: "No questions asked, no questions answered," and disappeared into the neSt room almost before the journalists realised he had gone. They had many questions to ask but were left to make thoir own interpretations. The statement of M. Tardieu, which is regarded as one of tho most interesting so far made, can certainly be described as most ambitious. Though France proposes to scrap several of her old ships a considerable building programme was outlined in the statement. This included 240,000 tons between 1930 and 1936.

A significant paragraph in that connection was the one stating that France, was obliged, owing to the recent new type of battleship, to build 70,000 tons of capital ships before 1936. It is understood this is because of Germany's new "pocket battleship," Ersatz Preussen, type. It is revealed that, although France at present has 550,000 tons less of capital ships than in 1914, she has not reduced her cruisers and destroyers and has increased her aircraft-carriers 32,000 tons and her submarines 62,000 tons. Furthermore, even if an agreement is reached on the basis of the British and American communiques France's navy in 1936, totalling 724,000 tons, would on her own formula include the formidable figures of 99,000 tons of submarines and 258,000 tons of small cruisers and destroyers. Another interesting point is that France, according To her own table, seeks 681,000 tons in 1930 against Italy's 361,000 tons. On tlie other hand, Italy has made it clear that she camo tp/the conference seeking parity with France,, Italy is now the only Power which has not submitted a statement. This is eagerly awaited.

GERMAN GESTURE.

"POCKET BATTLESHIP."

SECOND ONE ABANDONED.

(Reooived February 14. 5.5 p.m.) BERLIN, Feb. 13,

The German Cabinet has decided not to seek an appropriation for a second "pocket battleship."