NAVAL RIGHTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19826, 31 December 1938, Page 6

NAVAL RIGHTS

CLAIM BY GERMANY RATIO IN SUBMARINES NOTIFICATION TO LONDON MISSION TO BERLIN (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, Dec. 30. A communique issued by the Foreign Office states that the German Government recently notified' the British Government, in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Anglo-German naval agreement, of its intention to exercise certain rights conferred upon it by that agreement. Representatives of the Admiralty left London for Berlin on Thursday to discuss with the German authorities concerned questions arising from the notification.

It had been provided that Germany, while not exceeding 35 per cent of Britain's total tonnage, should have the right to possess tonnage equal to the submarine tonnage possessed by members of the British commonwealth. Germany undertook in 1935 that her submarine tonnage should not exceed 45 per cent of the total submarine tonnage possessed by the British commonwealth, but reserved the right in the event of a situation arising which, in her opinion, made it necessary for Germany to avail herself of the right to equality in submarine tonnage, to give notice to this effect to the British Government and agreed that the matter should be subject to friendly discussion before the German Government exercised that right. The British Government recently notified other naval Powers with whom she has treaties of the German desire to exercise her rights under the Anglo-German agreement. These Powers are the United States of America, France and Italy, the signatories to the London Naval Treaty are Russia, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.