NAVAL ACCORD

Southland Times, Issue 21362, 7 April 1931, Page 7

NAVAL ACCORD

FRANCE AND ITALY DIFFICULTY IN DRAFTING ARISES REPLACEMENT QUESTION (Uolted Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 8.30 p.tn.) London, April 5. The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post says that the Franco-Italian naval accord is in serious danger over the question of replacement of obsolete ships, which was purposely kept in the background dur. ing Mr Arthur Henderson’s negotiations with Italy in the hope that it would be regarded as a secondary point which could be settled during the drafting of the text. Mr Henderson thus secured Italy’s adherence to the treaty, though the discrepancy remained.'

It is now revealed that there is a discrepancy of about 70,000 tons, this being roughly the amount of French replacements. The French delegates say their claim was communicated to Mr Henderson wtl they believe the Italians accepted it, whereas the Italian drafters say they .have just heard the point for the first tiw.e.