REDUCTION OF SEA POWER

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1929, Page 9

REDUCTION OF SEA POWER

PROSPECT OF CONFERENCE. ADVANCEMENT IN AMERICA ECONOMY OF REPLACEMENT By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received Aug. 15, 7 p.m. New York, Aug. 14. A conference to-day between President Hoover, Messrs Adams and Stimson and members of the General Naval Board brought to light certain important facts, namely, that there is an encouraging prospect that a formal disarmament coa-"' ference will take place, probably in December, in London, states the Washington correspondent of the New York Times.. ■

It was indicated that there would probably be a harmonisation of the conflicting views concerning 6000 and 10,000 ton cruisers by giving a low valuation'’ to cruisers that would be employed mainly for policing the seas as compared with cruisers effective in offensive warfare.

The so-called yardstick, moreover, will be applied to as few categories of ves- .? sols as possible, namely, cruisers and aeroplane-carriers. '--/i The fundamental aim on account of popular sentiment in the United States and Britain against the actual scrapping of effective warships will be to establish a basis for bringing about a curtailment of sea power by,not replac*-; ipg ships that have reached a non-effec-tive fighting state. ' - .. It is understood that Britain under this heading contemplates building only'. 30,000 tons of new cruisers to replace the 70,000 tons which are approaching the age limit. Moreover, 19 American cruisers in the same condition are to be''"' sold and eliminated from the valuation discussions.

Mr. Ramsay MacDonald will visit’ Washington prior to the formal naval conference being called.