NAVAL ARMAMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20107, 28 March 1928, Page 7

NAVAL ARMAMENTS

HOPE FOR LIMITATION

Lord Cushendun’s Proposals Received in America

OFFICIAL COMMENT WITHHELD (By Tclegrapn—Per Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received March 27, 8.50 p.in. (A. & N.Z.) WASHINGTON, March 27 The State Department to-day received from Mr Hugh Gibson, Lord Uushcnd-un’s letter suggesting further armament limitation in capital ships, but declined to discuss the American view until the officials had had time and opportunity to study the communication.

While officials are puzzled by Britain’s purpose in instructing Lord Cushcndun to hand the letter to the principal naval Powers, it is felt this is a step preliminary to the naval conference of 1931, under the Washington Treaty.

One opinion here is that the acceptance of the British suggestions would 1 mean the surrender of the United States of its battle fleet parity, -fter last year’s naval conference had failed to achieve parity in auxiliary craft. The proposal, however, has been approached with an open mind as it is realised that even if some such suggestions are not acceptable outright, they are entirely feasible with technical compensating advantages.