AMERICAN PROPOSAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17179, 8 February 1930, Page 6

AMERICAN PROPOSAL

CLAIM REDUCED BRITAIN’S NEEDS RECOGNISED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Tress Assn.) (Received February 8,2 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 7. The American proposal may be summarised thus: The United States recedes from her original claim to have 21 IO.CCO-ton cruisers against Britain’s 15, and so the respective figures will eventually *he America 18 and Britain 15, giving the former an advantage of 60.0 CC tons. She recognises, however, Britain’s need for smaller cruisers, of which sire will have an excess of 40,000 tons, leaving a net cruiser margin in Britain’s favor of 12,000 tons. The scheme permits Britain to l change the programme if she thinks it necessary to do so by increasing the largo cruisers to 18 and making a .proportionate reduction in smaller craft. The present, capital ship situation is: Great Britain has 20. the United States 18, Japan 10. The Washington Treaty compels Ureal Britain and the United States to Reduce to 15 by 1930, and of her 20 Croat. Britain scraps 10, ,lnrt may build five now ships. The United States scraps eight of the 18 and builds five, and Japan scraps four of the 10 and builds throe. Great Britain hopes for an agreement for the abolition of battleships, in view of .their doubtful value, owing to their cord, and also to the development of aerial and submarine efficiency, but in any case expects an exchange of conference delegates’ views on the suggested reduction of size from 35,000 to 25.000 tons, ,-u<T from ICin. to 12in. guns, lengthening the age from 20 to 2A years. The. Government would limit the tonnage and gnu calibre of air-craft carriers, and suggests that vessels of 10.000 tons and under employed as air craft carriers should be included in 1 1 io total tonnage. She proposes a reduction of Anglo-American air-craft lopuage from 135.000 to 100,000, and adjusting other nations’ quotas to the Washington ratios. Angio-American conversation assumed n subdivision of cruisers into Oin. and Gin. guns, Great Britain’s requirements being 50 cruisers, of a total tonnage of 339,000. and a life-of 20 years.. The conference decision regarding the limitation and size of units to govern the final arrangements. The proposed limit of tonnage of destroyers is 1850 for the leaders, and J.SCO for the others. The maximum fun calibre of both is Sin., as at present. Tiie British building programme envisages a total destroyer tonnage of 209.000, reducible if tlio other Powers modify their submarine programmes. 'Great Britain proposes the abolition of submarines, otherwise their limitation to defence requirements at the lowest possible limit, and urges the regulation of the employment of submarines against merchant ships.