WORLD NAVIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22351, 24 February 1936, Page 9

WORLD NAVIES

LONDON PARLEYS ATTITUDE OF ITALY MAY SIGN AGREEMENT POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Received February 23. 5.5 p.m.) Times Cable LONDON. Feb. 22 The Rome correspondent of the Times says well-informed quarters do not believe Italy would refuse to sign any naval agreement reached by the London Conference as long as sanctions are in force. They say that Italy would benefit by accepting a naval agreement. No great importance is attached to reports that a close agreement between Italy and Germany has been concluded. An official hint from Rome that Italy might make her signature to any technical naval agreement dependent upon political considerations is among the latest developments, which are complicating the London Naval Conference, which in the past few days has proceeded from bilateral conversations. Mr. Norman Davis (United States) called on Mr. Anthony Eden yesterday to deprecate the introduction of European political issues into the conference —a view with which Mr. Eden is understood to have concurred. American circles declare that Mr. Davis could not even initial a document, which went beyond a technical naval agreement, yet France is endeavouring to add a protocol to the agreement resuscitating the negotiations for an air agreement and other political pacts. The Daily Telegraph's diplomatic correspondent states that Signor Mussolini's attitude is that he cannot participate in any naval talks as long as sanctions are in force against Italy. Mr. Davis has informed France of America's decision not to abandon her demand for 35,000-ton battleships. AMERICAN OFFICIAL DEATH IN WASHINGTON SECRETARY OF NAVY ILL (Received February 23, 6.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Feb. 22 Mr. Henry Latrobe, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, a cousin of President Roosevelt, died to-day, as the result of a heart attack, in the naval hospital. The Chief Secretary of the Navy, Mr. C. A. Swanson, has been critically ill with pleurisy for over a week, but now is believed to be on the way to recovery. In the absence of Admiral Standley, chief of Naval Operations, at the naval conference in London, the Navy Department temporarily will be under the direction of Admiral Adolphus Andrews, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation.