NAVAL PACT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 10 July 1923, Page 7

NAVAL PACT.

TERMS OF WASHINGTON TREATY. AMERICA SHOWING THE WAY. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT (Received 5.5 p.m., July 9.) NEW YORK, July S. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” learns that tlie general Board of the Navy, submitted a plan which Mr Denby approved to maintain, in fighting trim, a minimum naval force at sea, of eighteen firstline battleships, fourteen cruisers, and eighty-four' submarines irrespective of what action France takes ' regarding the Washington Naval Treaty. Strong feeling, however, exists among important factions in Congress, tliat when France' approves of the Treaty, tlie United States will be able to reduce its Navy below the size authorised in the Treaty. The 'correspondent finds that tho officials are inclined to approve of the Japanese sentiment for a British. American, and Japanese pact, in the event of the French failure to approve the Naval Treaty.

HEATED DEBATE. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 8.15 p.ni., July 9. PARIS, July 8. ’During the debate in the Chamber oi Deputies, which resulted in the ratincation oi the Washington Treaty, AL. Briand and i\L Poincare agreed that the fixed figures for capital ship*; did not affect other units, and France's liberty was not bound, so far as light cruisers, torpedo boars and submarines were concerned. M. Bertha (.Communist) said that Prance’s post-war abstention from warship building was due solely to financial reasons, and added sarcastically, that no one foresaw .the present difficulties with Great Britain and Italy. M. Poincare heatedly intervened and declared: “This is ail abominable statement, which may. bo misinterpreted abroad. It is ridiculous to pretend that we want, to build cruisers ami submarines against Britain and Italy. Wo are forearming against a menace which may come, in the future from Germany.’f [A cable message published yesterday announced that the Chamber oi Deputies ratified the. Washington Naval Treaty by 400 votes to 10(5. At tin. Washington Conference Iho French delegates accepted a capital shin ratio of 1.75 as compared with the British and American allocation of five each. The United States, Britain, and Japan ratified the Treaty, blit Prance and. Italy postponed tho matter. “In Prance the Naval Treaty has had hard sledding of late in the Chamber of Deputies," reported an American correspondent, “the Foreign Affairs Committee having voted against recommending ratification. The chairman of the commit tc , has been quoled as saying that Mi ever we approve it there will he so many vital reservations to the Treaty that it will not be recognisable.’ ” The chief argument used in tho French Chamber against ratification was tho need for greater sea-power than that allowed under tho Treaty, to ensure that Prance could always draw on her colonies for troops in case of war.]