NAVIES OF THE POWERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17173, 1 February 1930, Page 6

NAVIES OF THE POWERS

TONNAGE PROBLEM THE NAVAL CONFERENCE OPTTMTKM. INCREASED (British Official Wireless.) Bee. 1 p.m. RIGBY. Jan. 31 Tho lirst, committee of the Five-power Naval Conference, consisting ! df all the members of (he conference, met this afternoon at. St. James’ Palace, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald presiding, and took up the questions of limitation by global tonnage and the limitation of categories. After statements had been made bv Mr. A. V. Alexander. British First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Wakatsuki, Japan, Admiral Sirianni, Italy, and Mr. Adams. United Slates, M. Massigili, on behalf of the French delegation, gavo an outline of the revised French cbiiiprnmisc proposal. The committee adjourned until February 4 in order to give the delegates an opportunity to study the above-men-tioned statements and any proposals that, might bo submitted to them. Optimism on tho course of the naval conference was definitely increased by the proceedings at yesterday’s public session. For the time being the delegations have returned to the method of private conversations. with meetings of the committee appointed yesterday, and frequent consultations between the five chief delegates. As a result of these exchanges it is hoped that the plenary session, at which further progress can be publicly recorded, will become possible before long. At a luncheon the Prime Minister on tertained the chief naval experts of all the delegations and their wives. It is clear that no attempt is to bo made to fix a rigorous programme. INTERLO('KIN(! QUESTIONS. Tho Times points out that where a great number of interlocking questions are to be discussed and the solution ol each of thorn may lie affected by that of others) it may prove hotter to proceed along the informal lines adopted by the conference. When it-lwomps dear from the conversations between the delegations which particular difficulty had best be got out. of the way first then a concen trated attack can be made upon it, as is now being made upon the difference over tho method of limitation, and while this is going on further informal discussion will reveal the next most necessary step. The Manchester Guardian, discussing the French method, says it means that the total tonnage assigned to each power would be fixed and the tonnage allotted to each category fixed, hut that each country would be at liberty to transfer tonnage from one category to another. 11l principle, this freedom is objectionable, a? ii involves the possibility of continual unsetUcment of whatever balance of forces is arranged at the conference. If it is necessary to accept the transactional method at, all in order lo secure an agreement the transference of iotmagq should be limited on every possible point. The French proposals speak only of’ a fixed percentage-and would 1 allow'transference. in every category, but the percentage should he low and should be restricted to as few categories as possible. for to the extent that transactional method is accepted tho actual maximum in the particular category will be uncertain. variable, and subject to new pro-’ gramme making. The French Foreign Minister. M. Briand. left London to-day for Paris, whi'i'c he will-spend a few davs to attend to pressing state matters before returning to resume his work on the French delegation at the conference. Mr. MacDonald has invited nil the American delegates and their wives to lunch with him to-morrow at Chequers, his official couiitry residence. Afterwards lie will conduct his guests on a sightseeing tour tlmoigh Buckinghams,hire. Visits will be n.ii(l to Milton's cottage In Uhalfoiil, ,Saint Giles, lo Jordans Willi its Quaker associations, to T’enn. and to Hie great Hampton clunnhvard where, John Hampden, the Cromwellian Parliamentarian, is buried. The America" delegates will he particularly inieresled in the tour, for these places are historically associated with the Pilgrim Fathers. COM PROMISE! PROPOSALS.

The French compromise proposals outlined at to-day’s meeting of tho 'first committee of the naval conference were issued this evening in the form of a memorandum. Apart from the limitations mentioned in the cable message, (lie memorandum states: “Within the limits of tho total tonnage and in the absence of more strict conditions resulting from the special conventions cacli of the high contracting parties'may alter 1 ho distributing subject to two conditions, firstly, that tonnages by class slialjl in no case lie tho object of an increase or subtraction of an amount exceeding certain figures; secondly, tho amount, of tonnage of one class which is’ to bq transferred to another class shall lie notified fo other parties at least one year before the laying down of the ship or ships for construction of which transferred tonnage lias been assigned. Each party shall notify within one month following the laying down of any vessel the type and displacement of the vessels. This information shall be supplemented when tho vessel is launched, by tfie publication of the main characteristics of the armament of tho vessel,”'