Fleets of Big Powers

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 887, 3 February 1930, Page 9

Fleets of Big Powers

BRITAIN OFFERS REDUCTION Dominions Arouse Controversy NAVY HEADS SEEK COMPROMISE THERE is a first-class controversy over Britain's decision to curtail Its naval construction programme. Critics say this comes at a time when the naval security of the Empire is more essential than ever. Supporters affirm Britain has given the conference a lead by a genuine gesture for practical disarmament. Trouble has developed because of the Dominion delegates’ attitude toward committee representation. The delegates are accused of holding up the work.

British Official Wireless Reed. noon. RUGBY, Sunday. There will be no committee work during the week-end by the Naval Conference delegates. M. Tardieu Is paying a short visit to Paris, where M. Briand preceded him yesterday. Signor Grandi and Mr. R. Wakatsuki are going to the seaside, and Mr. Ramsay MacDonald to liis official country residence, “The Chequers.” Delegates will take a great deal of work with them, including papers relating to the proposal whereby the British category and French global theories a,re correlated. On this complicated and important problem there is hope of a solution. Mr. MacDonald, in an optimistic statement, said the partition dividing the French and the British is so thin as to be almost transparent. It is borne out in French delegation circles that Britain is unlikely to accept the compromise proposal formally, however, until the views of the other delegations at the conference have been defined, and until the whole matter has been thrashed out in committee. EFFECT OF REDUCTIONS Newspapers call attention to the significance of recent announcements regarding a reduction in the British naval construction programme for 1929-1930. It is reckoned that naval tonnage which Britain would in the ordinary course have laid down in the current financial year has been reduced by nearly 30,000 tons, or over 50 per cent. This is regarded as an impressive lead to the conference, although somenewspapers consider the cancellations excessive, particularly as they have been made without any effort to use such reductions as a bargain counter with other naval powers. A Press Association message says: The “Daily Herald,” In justifying the latest naval cuts, says the foreign delegates to the conference fully realise the significance of the Government’s revision * of the naval programme. The cuts entail a total saving of £9,000,000. They are of two kinds. First the cancellation of tile cruisers Surrey and Northumberland, on which the preliminary work is being scrapped; secondly, a reduction in the 1929 programme before any work is begun or orders placed. This is not one-sided disarmament, the paper goes on. It is a measure of the Government’s confidence in the outcome of the conference. If the conference succeeds, the vessels dropped will not be required. The Government therefore decided not to begin a work which might have to be scrapped later. The change will not entail the discharge of the Government dockyard employees. RIVAL NAVAL STRENGTH BRITAIN’S FLEET COMPARED WITH FRANCE LONDON, Saturday. The “Daily Telegraph’s” naval correspondent says the extraordinary significance of the wholesale deletions from Britain’s naval programme has escaped general notice. He adds: “Within 48 hours the Government has cancelled four cruisers—three of 10,000 tons each and one smaller one —of a total tonnage of 36,000. This amazing gesture has been made at a moment when it is most desirable that the Empire should jealously guard her every naval asset, potential and actual, until it is known whether the other Powers are going to reduce their fleets. “Naval circles regard the dropping of four destroyers and three submarines as most ill-timed, as we are exceptionally weak in those categories compared with the other Powers represented at the conference. The fiveyear programme approved by Parliament in 1925 provided for the construction in 1925-29 of nine 10,000-ton and seven 8,000-ton cruisers. Actually only nine ships have been built and arc

likely to be built. The other seven have been cancelled. FRANCE STILL BUILDING

“Until now no certainty has existed, even among semi-official observers at the conference, regarding the tonnage aggregates which France and Italy are aiming at. I am reliably informed that the claim of France will be based on the statute adopted a few years ago under which her navy will attain the following strengths: Vessels Tonnage. Capital ships 175,000 Light craft —cruisers and destroyers 390,000 Air-craft carriers .. .. 60,000 Submarines 96,000 “But the statute ignores coastal submarines aggregating 30,000 tons. About half the French programme of light craft and submarines has already•] been built or laid down, including I three S,OOO-ton and seven 10,000-tou cruisers. “If that progress continues France will have 13 10,000-ton cruisers in 1936 when under the Anglo-American Conference proposals the British Empire will have 15 and Japan nine. “These figures foreshadow one of the most serious problems which await solution. The French submarine total of 126,000 tons is distributed over 58 large and 50 coastal boats, showing the importance which France attaches to her submarine arm. “Of her 390,000 tons of light craft, 210,000 tons are earmarked for cruisers and 180,000 tons for flotilla leaders and destroyers. It is doubtful whether that total includes her 12 new 2,000-ton sloops for the colonial service. ITALY’S CHANCES “The total displacement of the French Navy today is 450,000 tons, so, between now and 1943, 300,000 tons will be added to the figures. “Italy’s global tonnage as at present projected is conflicting. She has no naval statute extending over a long term of years. Therefore it is impossible to foretell her future strength. Of her new ships she has built, or is building, six 10,000-ton, S-inch gun cruisers, six 5,300-ton, 6-inch gun cruisers, 46 destroyers and 30 submarines. “If Italy really intends to achieve parity with France she must build on an extremely costly scale in the years to come.” FRENCH MISCHIEF PRESS MESSAGES EMBARRASS DOMINIONS British Official "Wireless Reed. Noon. RUGBY, Sunday. The so-called first committee has now been turned into a committee of all delegates, and is in effect the conference sitting as a committee in private. The next such meeting as as present arranged takes place on Tuesday. A Press Association message says: One of the most regrettable features of the Naval Conference so far is the fact that persistent attempts have been made to raise imaginary dissensions among the British Empire delegations. The French Press has readily seized upon and magnified the situation. However, it died a speedy death today. Three London journals boldly displayed a new sensation, namely, a rumour to the effect that the plenary session called for Thursday is not to be held, but is to be supplanted by a meeting of the committee of the whole because the Domiuions made the “impossible demand” for full representation on the smaller body RUMOUR DENIED The source of this irresponsible statement Is perhaps indicated by the mass of French comment telegraphed back to London from Paris today. This shows that special French correspondents are telling France that the Dominion delegates put Mr. MacDonald in the embarrassing position of having to appeal to the nations to amend the procedure to meet the Dominions’ protest. Mr. MacDonald has authorised it to be stated that the sole reason behind the creation of the committee of the whole Instead of a smaller one was the general recognition that the tonnage problem is most awkward and involves discussion by experts and consultation with them.