NAVAL STRENGTH

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20693, 31 December 1938, Page 7

NAVAL STRENGTH

THE PLANS OF GERMANY THE SUBMARINE TONNAGE NEGOTIATIONS WITH BRITAIN (Official Wireless) (Received Dec. 31. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 30 The following communique has been issued by the Foreign Office:— The German Government recently j notified His Majesty’s Government, in nee with the procedure laid down by the Anglo-German naval nt, of its intention to exercise certain rights conferred upon it bv that agreement. Representatives of the Admiralty 1 ft London for Berlin on Thursday to discuss with the Germany authorities concerned questions arising from the notification.” The reports referred to provide that Germany, while not exceeding 35 per cent, of Britain's total tonnage, shall have the right to possess tonnage equ.il to the submarine tonnage possessed by the members of the British Commonwealth. Germany undertook ! n 1935 that her submarine tonnage : should not exceed 45 per cent, of the j total submarine tonnage possessed by the British Commonwealth, but reserved the right, in the event’of a situation arising which in her opinion madt 1 necessary for Germany to avail herself of the right to equality in submarine tonnage, to give notice to this effect to the British Government, and agreed that the matter should be subject to a friendly discussion before the German Government exercised that right.

The British Government recently notified other naval Powers with whom she has tceaties of the German desire to exercise her rights under the AngloGerman agreement. These are the United States. France and Italy (the signatories to the London Naval treaty), Russia, Poland. Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.