CATEGORIES OF SHIPS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17175, 4 February 1930, Page 11

CATEGORIES OF SHIPS

AND TOTAL TONNAGE COMPROMISE PROBLEM SfAVAL CONFERENCE PROGRESS (British Official Wiroloss.) Itec. 1 p.m. LIUURY, Feb. 3. After ;i week olid spent in freedom from negotiation;, the delegates to tho Five-Power Naval Conference were again ill contact 10-day, the main problem under consideration n't the moment being the compromise between the categories of ships and Iby the total tonnage. Broadly stated, the suggestion is that in certain classes of vessel a fixed ambtthl Of tonnage may be transferred ironi one category to another. The categories affected toy this idea, the amounts considered transferable, and the constitution governing such an arrangement involve numerous and complicated considerations., which, it is understood, will bo discussed further at to-morrow's meeting of the first committee, which embraces all the delegates to the conference. So far promising progress has been made with the proposal, but. the attitude of all tho delegations requires to be defined upon it before any decision can be reached and .expressions of opinion are expected to take more, definite. form in committee to-morrow. At the first committee meeting tomorrow, M. Leygues, Minister of .Marine, will be the chief French .delecrate present. The main business of the meeting will be the discussion of the compromise proposals regarding the two methods of naval limitation, namely by categories of ships or by total tonnage. In This connection the British delegation has now formulated a set of compromise proposals, which were circulated to Urn other delegations this afternoon and. will be considered at to-morrows meeting. These can be regarded as the British contributions to the discussions inaugurated last week by M. "MaSsig l, the French expert. They follow largely the old British proposals, and the categories suggested in them, namely capital ships, aircraft carriers, cruisers (subdivided into two classes of cruisers with Bin guns and those with guns of bin. and, lower calibre), destroyers, and submarines. ■ • Regarding small cruisers and destroyers it is understood the proposals leave the way open for an arrangement by which the complete transfer to 100 per cent, might be made between cruisers ot 6in. guns and less calibre and the destroyer class, this elasticity being designed to enable certain countries to fulfill their special requirements in these classes of ships. It is believed that the compromise will be found to form a, satisfactory basis for further discussion and I hat the conference will be able soon to devote itself to other problems. This evening the Prime Minister ant Foreign Secretary met Mr. Stimson and other American delegates in the Prime Minister's room at the House ol Colli-, mens.

GAS WARFARE '•FAR MORE HUMANE" CHEMIST CRITICISES TREATIES (Eiec. Tel. Copyright-—United Press Asan.) ' iHo-eived Feb. 4. 2 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 3. •'Dreadful as it is, gas is far more humane than high explosives. It caused less temporary and permanent suffering in proportion to military results during the Groat War," says Dr. Herbert Levinstein, president of the Society of the Chemical Industry, criticising the "illusory character" of treaties regarding gas warfare. He declared that, the Geneva protocol enabled the use ol smoke screens, and perhaps tear gas and poison fumes. lie ((intended that the limitation of naval armaments increased the importance of the chemical arm. and pointed out the methods of using gas could quicklv be adopted, including large stocks of gas cylinders immediately available in all countries where the alkali industry existed. These could be thrown out from aircraft, tanks, armored cars, and other vehicles. Ho urged that the War Office should keep in close contaot with chemical research. ••The improvisation of chemical war material might be vital to our existence," Dr. Levinstein added. "It is therefore, satisfactory to know that the British chemical industry emerged from the war stronger anTi greater in capacity, production, and research."