POWERS’ NAVAL POLICY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18492, 6 February 1930, Page 9

POWERS’ NAVAL POLICY.

Germany’s Building Plans. SOCIALISTS’ STRONG PROTESTS. (United Press Association —By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received February 5, 7.30 p.m.) BERLIN, February 4. The German Socialists are using the Naval Conference as an argument against increasing the number of pocket battleships. “Vorwaerts” points out that Germany’s navy construction has already afforded the French Nationalists with the basis for opposing the British and American desire to disarm. On the contrary, the German Nationalists are demanding six battleships similar to the Ersatz Preussen. in order to protect the German coasts against Russia and Poland. The Peace Treaty permits Germany to build six 10,000-ton cruisers. There was no mention of armaments. ANGLO-AMERICAN FLEETS. BLUE BOOK COMPARISONS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright ) 7 ONDON. February 4. Beyond referring inquirers to the Blue Book published last month, the Admiralty is not disposed to give comparative figures of the British and United States Fleets since the British suspensions of building announced last week. The following table, however, gives

Thus Britain has built cruisers of 231,130 tons in excess of the United States, whilst the latter is building 143,200 in excess of Britain, also 50,000 in excess in projected cruisers. Thus the cruiser tonnage totals are: Tons. Britain built, building, and projected 363,931 United States 326,001 The British grand total excludes the four recent suspensions, which the Admiralty states would probably equal 37,000 tons. The following are built or building:— Britain. U.S.A. Destroyers 152 309 Submarines .. .. 63 127

DOINGS AT CONFERENCE. DESIRE TO ACHIEVE RESULTS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, February 4. It is understood that the morning discussion at the Naval Conference Committee centred round an attempt to approximate the abstract French proposals to the more concrete British plan, for the transfer of categories. It is suggested that it may be quicker if the two sets of experts produce an agreed formula. It is becoming more evident that the French tactics are increasingly tending to convert the Conference into a continuation of ttie Geneva Preparatory Commission, but officially it is passing unnoticed. Because the present negotiations are being conducted in a healthier atmosphere, nobody seems to care about the method, so long as results are achieved. The French modifications are not serious departures from the plans previously announced. Reference to the reservations indicates that Italy, again, is not ready to commit herself till a stage of greater detail is reached. She is really voicing the case of the smaller Powers. For example, if a. Power possessed three 10,00 ton cruisers, it is quite useless to tell it that it is at liberty to transfer 10 per cent, to another category. This is only one illustration of the physical difficulties being encountered, but optimism prevails that all will be overcome. A communique states that the First Committee met in the morning. In addition to the statements made at the previous meeting, it had before it for consideration the French transactional proposal, a series of draft resolutions, outlined under five heads, also the British compromise. The discussion was opened on the basis of the French transactional proposal, on which the Italian, Signor Sirianni; the Japanese, Mr Nagai Takarabe; Mr Hugh Gibson and Mr A. V. Alexander gave the viewpoints on the principles therein, after whiqh the proposals were discussed clause by clause.

COMMITTEE REACHES DEADLOCK. BEGINNING TO FACE FACTS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received February 6, 12.50 a.m.) LONDON, February 5. At the Naval Conference, the first meeting of the Committee ended in something closely resembling a deadlock, according to the “Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent. The French standpoint, as expounded, would make a clean sweep of all ratios. - Mr Gibson strove hard to find a bridge between the British and French plans. All the delegations agreed before a close meeting that sufch a bridge should be found, but platonic expressions, however, did not alter facts.

the latest comparisons: British. US.A. Battleships .. .. 16 18 Battle cruisers 4 Cruisers, units .. 54 14 Tonnage .. . . 527,131 36,001 Cruisers building Units 4 18 Tonnage .. .. .. 36.800 180,000 Cruisers projected Units 5 Tonnage 50,000