BRITAIN, JAPAN AND U.S. PLAN NAVAL CUTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18187, 21 June 1927, Page 5

BRITAIN, JAPAN AND U.S. PLAN NAVAL CUTS.

MAKE PROPOSALS FOR LIMITING ARMAMENTS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright A.P.A. and Sydney “ Sun ” Cables. (Received Tune 21, 1 p.m.) GENEVA, June 20. The Tripartite Naval Armaments Limitation Conference has opened. Mr Hugh Gibson, of the United States, was appointed president. Each Pow-cr submitted proposals as a basis for discussion. The American proposal provides for the following strength:— Cruisers—United States and British Empire, each 250,000 to 300,000 tons. Japan, 150,000 to 180,000 tons. Destroyers—Respectively 208,000 to 250,000 tons, and 120.000 to 150.000 tons. Submarines—6o,ooo to 90,000 tons, and 36,000 to 54,000 tons. The United States is willing to agree with all naval Powers to abolish submarines. The Japanese proposal is: (1) No new building programme to be adopted, or new ships to be acquired for the purpose of increasing naval strength. (2) The naval strength of each Power shall tie determined for surface, auxiliary craft and submarines respectively oil the basis of the tonnages of existing effective ships and ships under construction, not taking into consideration the tonnages of ships authorised, but not yet laid down and ships attaining the age limit during the execution of the authorised programmes. (3) The construction or acquisition of ships in future to be limited to replacements, due consideration being given to equalisation as far as possible of the amount of annual construction for replacements. (4) Small ships and ships of limited activity to be exempt from limitation. The British proposal extends the life of existing capital ships to twenty-six, reduces future battleships from 35,000 tons to something under 30,000 tons each, and their guns from 16 inches to 13.5 inches, and limits aircraft-carriers to 25,000 tons, with armaments of flinch guns. It accepts the existing ratio of 10,000 ton cruisers carrying 8inch guns (the number thereof required for each of the three countries to be the subject of discussion), and limits future light-cruisers to 7500 tons, armed with 6-inch guns, after the number of 10,000 tonners has been decided upon. It limits destroyer leaders to 1750 and destroyers to 1400 tons, the armaments of the destroyers to be 5-inch guns. It limits the larger submarines to 1600 tons and the smaller submarines to 600 tons each, with 5-inch guns.