The New York herald., 1921-11-16
COMPLETE HOLIDAY
OPPOSED BY BRITISH
Fear to Tie Up Shipbuilding,
but May Cut Quota of
Submarines.
Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau

Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald bureau.
Washington, ID. c., Nov. Is.
It became apparent to-day that Great
Britain never will accept in toto the
American suggestion for complete
naval holiday. They will insist on keep
ing open a certain number of shipyards.
While Mr.. Balfour refrained from
going into elaborate details of Great
Britain's suggested amendment to Sec
retary Hughes's naval programme in
his speech, practically the entire time
of the Admiralty section of the British
delegation was given over to study of
the practical amendments they expect
to offer.
Mr.. Balfour did deal with the sub
marine question. 1t was learned from
other members of the delegation that
England would be glad to reduce her
fleet of submarines to between $4,000
and $4,000 tons as against 10000 tons,
as suggested by Secretary Hughes.
The whole thought of the British is
to keep on hand, in addition to their
quota of regular fighting craft, an ade-
Qudle supply Oh SIlldlleT craft WHICH CdI
be used neither for offence nor for de-
fence in warfare. but for necessary po-
lice work. Large submarines they con-
slider almost as dangerous as battle
ships. in that they are more difficult to
guard against.
Beyond generalites on the submarine
question the delegates did not go. But
the question OF replacement, as touched
on lightly by Mr.. Balfour and appar-
emily by design left to Admiral Kato.
was still uppermost in their minds The
British apparently have not worked out
what they are willing to put forward as
definite solution to this problem. but
they made IL plain, by stressing 1t so
greatly, that they consider it paramount.
Various thoughts emanated from Brit
fsh sources. ranging from intimations
that perhaps England. America and
Japan should each retain and maintain
one big yard to suggestions that several
small yards should be kept going In each
country.
1t was again pointed out that ship
building TO Great Britain Is much moro
serious a problem than it Is to America
The art has been handed down in Eng
and from generation to generation, and
to throw shipyard workers out of their
Jobs in England and Scotland means
more than throwing the same class Of
workers into new fields in America.
The British also made plain that they
do not intend to agree to scrap those of
their yards that are equipped for build
ing and repairing merchant ships. These
yards they apparently do not consider
to be affected by whatever happens to
the yards that build war vessels
Lord Beatty and other members OF
the Admiralty section met this after
noon. but 1t was announced at the end
OF the meeting that no formal agree
ment had been reached.
1t seems highly probable that England
and Japan will stand fairly close to-
gether on the replacement problem and
that the former may offer definite sug-
gestions which the latter will back up.
AS far as the navies of France and
Italy go. the British appear uninter-
ested. Suggestions have been made that
the navies of these two Powers might
be enlarged to bring them to a higher
plane as compared with the navies of
England America and Japan, but the
attitude for the English on this point
was one of indifference.
They are far more interested I'm the
reaction of British labor. They do not
anticipate open hostility from this quar-
ter, but apparently are keenly conscious
of prospective employment problems In
a drastic reduction Of employees at shin
yards.