THREE PROPOSALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16372, 21 June 1927, Page 9

THREE PROPOSALS

NAVAL LIMITATION TRIPARTITE CONFERENCE POWERS' DIFFERENT SCHEMES (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) iN.Z., end A.P.A., and Sun.) (Received June 21, 2 p.m.) GENEVA, Juno 20.

The tripartite naval armament limitation conference opened _ this afternoon. Mr. Hugh Gibson, of 'the United States, was appointed president. Each power submitted proposals as a. basis for discussion. The American proposal provides for the following strength: Cruisers: United .states and British Empire, each 250,000 to 300,000 tons; 'japan, 150,000 to 180,000. Destroyers: United States and Britain. 208,000 to 250,000; Japan, U 20,000 to 150,000. Submarines: United Slates and Britain. 60,000 to 90,000; Japan, 30,000 to 54,000. The United States is willing to agree with all naval Powers to abolish submarines. The Japanese proposal is:—

Firstly, no new building programme to be adopted, or new ships to be acquired for the purpose of increasing naval strength. Secondly, the naval streugth of each .Power shall bo determined for surface auxiliary craft and submarines respectively on the basis of the tonnage of existing effective ships and ships under construction, not, faking into consideration, the •tonnage of ships authorised but not yet laid down, and ships attaining an age limit during the execution of the authorised programmes.

Thirdly, the construction or acquisition of ships in the future to be limited to replacements, due consideration being given to equalisation as far as possible of the amount of annual constructions for replacements. Fourthly, small ships and ships of limited activity to bo exempt from limitation.

The British proposal extends the life, of existing capital ships. Reduces future battleships from 25,000 tons to something under 30,000 tons each, and their guns from lOin to 13.5 in.; Limits aircraft carriers to 25,000 tons, with armaments of Gin. guns; Accepts the existing radio of 10,000 ton cruisers carrying Sin. guns—the number thereof required for each of three countries to be .subject to discussion; Limits future light cruisers to 7500 tons armed with Oin. guns after the number of 10,000 tonners have been decided upon. Limits destroyer leaders to 1750 tons, and destroyers to 1400 tons; the armament of destroyers to be oin. guns; Limits larger submarines to 1000 and smaller to 600 tons, each being armed with sin. guns.

AMERICAN VIEW EXPLAINED

Mr. Gibson prefaced his speech with a message from President Coolidge, declaring that the President was only interpreting the overwhelming sentiment of American people in stating that the United States would do its utmost to make an agreement possible. Mr. Gibson added that it could be assumed that the conference started in agreement on the following points, namely:— " That in the interest of international understanding there should be no competition between the three Powers in naval armaments.

" Their respective navies should 1 bo maintained at the lowest level compatible with national security, and never be of a size and character to warrant a suspicion of aggressive intent, " Future construction .should 1 be kept at a minimum.

'" The methods and principles of limitation set down by the Washington Treaty should be extended to all categories of combatant vessels of the three Powers."

The United States, he said, had no intention of maintaining force ns a threat to any Power. It did not desire to initiate a competitive programme. The American suggestions were based on the following considerations: That the ratio principles of the Washington Treaty should be applied to cruisers, destroyers, and submarines; any agreement of the three Powers to limit the building of auxiliary vessels should be coterminous with ' the Washington Treaty, audi ,fcont<ain a provision respecting revision in the event oE an extensive building programme by a Power not party to tße agreement; for the purpose of future limitation auxilaries should be- divided into four categories, three of which, namely, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines, should he subject to limitation, with the fourth class of negligent combatant value not subject to limitation ; the cruiser class to include surface combatant vessels from 3000 to 10,000 tons; the destroyer class to include nil surface combatant vessels from 600 to 3000 tons, and.of a speed above 17 knots. The United States, he added, recognised that naval requirements were relative, and if these limits were adjusted for one PoWer they should be so adjusted for all. Tf any Powers proposed lower tonnage levels of auxiliary craft, flic United States would welcome them to obviate the scrapping of comparatively new Vessels in one class simultaneously with building in another class. Mr. Gibson added that the question of the abolition of submarines must be universal between all naval Powers hi order to be effective.

A statement issued by the British Admiralty/recently showed how drastically the capital ship tonnage of the leading fleets has been reduced since the Washington Conference. On the outbreak of war Britain'alone had 42 dreadnoughts ready or under construction. To-day the collective dreadnoughts of the seven principal navies barely exceed 60. Only eight battle-cruisers are now in existence, and no ships of this type are building. So far as dreadnought construction is concerned, the " naval policy " is already an accomplished fact. Taking cruisers first, the British Empire is found to have 14 building, with nine more projected for the period ending with the fiscal year.of 1929. If this programme is carried out (and its fate is obviously bound up with that of the present Government), the Empire will eventually have 23 cruisers of the socalled "Treaty" class. The number of similar vessels now being built in the United States, Japan, France, and Italy is 18, while 12 others are projected, excluding 10 American ships which the Butler Bill seeks to authorise.

In capital ships the British Empire has a numerical margin of two over the United States, though this is rather discounted by the superior tonnage and later design of many of the American units. The Empire has also a definite superiority in f aircraft-carriers. But in destroyers and submarines i-t is far below a one-Power standard, and in spite of the current building programme its relative strength in both types 01 craft continues to decline,

A very formidable, mass of submarine tonnage is now afloat and on the stocks. The six leading Powers have already built or laid clown 385 submarines, while 50 additional boats are contemplated. "Moreover, Die submarine itself exhibits a progressive increase in size, range and offensive power. In the return the Admiralty gave some interesting details of the new British warships which will soon bo hoist,ing the pennant. Of these, the most important are the two battleships Nelson and Rodney, which have hitherto been veiled in mystery. They are the first battleships to have geared turbines, designed for an output of 45,0000 s.b.p. and 23 knots. The battery of eacli vessel is now revealed as nine 16in. guns, 12 6in., six 4.7 in. anti-aircraft pieces, and 28 smaller guns, with torpedo tubes. No other warships afloat will' be able to develop such a tremendous volume of fire.

The German navy occupies a by no means insignificant place in the tables. Apart from its older ships, it possesses a brand-new cruiser, the Emden, and has three other ships of this class building, while a fifth is projected. Twelve powerful destroyers are. now on the ways. The navy of the Soviet Union also makes an impressive showing on paper, with its long list of battleships and smaller fry, but judging from the. footnotes appended to tliis section the actual fighting value of the " Red " fleet is decidedly problematical.