Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-12-21
FRANCE BOWS TO
AMERICAN PROPOSAL
ON FLEET RATIO
{continued from Page one.l

tContinued from Page One.l
view prevail, the British woulc
deem 1t necessary to seek radica
increase in their allotments of anti
submarine craft as q measure Of
self-defense. That means more
light cruisers and destroyers ano
possibly airplane carriers.
The correspondence between Mr.
Hughes and Premier BRAND shows
Mr.. Hughes dealt frankly with the
situation created by the French
proposal to build ten new capita
ships.
II regret to say" he said, tina
after canvassing the matter ant
taking the best information l car
obtain, am compelled to conclude
that it would not be possible or
this basis to carry through the
agreement"
Mr.. Hughes added, after point.
ing out that the retained flee'
agreement between Great Britain
the United States and Japan was
contingent on IAN appropriate
agreement with France and Italy,
and that there will not be the
slightest difficulty in making al
agreement with Italy IL We can
reach a suitable understanding with
France"
"Then you will observe the at
titude of France will determine
the success or failure OF these ef-
forts to reduce the heavy burden
Of naval armament"
Land Armament.
He also stressed his view that
the promier's statement indicating
to the conference "the particular
situation of France with respect
to land armament" seemed to
point to 1.-The very great impor-
lance of reduction in naval arma-
ment."
"At this time" he added, when
we are anxious to aid France in
full recovery of her economic Ire,
it would be disappointing to be
advised that she was contemplat-
ing putting hundreds OF millions
in battleships."
That portion Of Premier Bril-
and's reply taken as acceptance
Of the American $4,000 capital
ship tonnage proposal and beyond
the strict letter of which, 1t is In
dicated, the French group did not
go today, reads:
Instructs Delegates.
with regard to the tonnage OF
capital ships, that is to say, at
lacking ships, which are the most
costly, l have given instructions
to our delegates in the sense which
you desNe. l am certain that l
shall be sustained by my parlia-
ment in this view.
"But so far as the defensive
ships are concerned (light cruis-
ers, torpedo boats and submarines)
it would be impossible for the
French government, without put
ting itself in contradiction with the
vote of the chambers, to accept
reductions corresponding to those
which we accept for capital ships
under this formal reserve which
you will certainly understand"
Mr.. Hughes pointed out that
strict application to the French
navy of the rule Of reduction of
tonnage applied in the provisional
agreement between Great Britain,
the United States and Japan,
would bring her capital ship tom
mage to 10000 aggregate. He
added that there was every dis
position, however, to permit
France to keep all her tonnage in
~, IY,n ttryht ohtna and IN
make an allowance of 10000 tons
over the strict application Of the
rule of existing strength as was
done in the American 175.000 ton
suggestion.
Tho proposed agreement really
doubles the relative strength Of
the French navy" his message
added, pointing out that IL pres
ent American and British build
ing programs, proposed to be
abandoned, were carried out, each
nation would have naval pre-
ponderance of more than six to
one over France very shortly"
And France would not be in
position to better herself, much
less by any possible endeavor, to
obtain such a relative strength as
has been suggested" Mr.. Hughes
added.
Detailed Instructions.
The French delegation was I'M
derstood to be in receipt tonight
Of detailed instructions as to the
amount of auxiliary naval tonnage,
including submarines, desired I'M
der an agreement to accept 49,.
900 tons of capital ships. Mr..
Hughes message disclosed that 1t
would be possible for France. un-
der that limitation, to build two
new $4,000 ton post Jutland bat
tleships If she so desired.
Roughly, the submarine tom
mage, built and building, now pos
sessed by each Of the five powers
follows:
United States, $4,000 tons;
Great Britain, $4,000; France, A.
600; Japan, $4,000; Italy. $4,000.
>The maximum Of the American
tonnage apparently was taken in
the American original three power
proposal, with 5000 tons Of sub
marines authorized to be aban-
doned. Taking 10000 as the Amer
lean allotment, the Hughes plan
would give Great Britain the same
and Japan $4,000 tons, or a so per
cent ratio.
Ratio OF About 1877.
The French 175,000-ton capital
ship tonnage would mean a ratio of
about 1867 compared to the Ameri-
can and British five and the Japan
csc three. If that ratio were applied
to submarines, France would have
now nearly ten thousand tons more
than her proportion and Japan
more than twenty thousand tons
less.
From what direction 1t is planned
to attack the submarine tonnage
problem should the conference fail
to agree, as is expected, to abolish
ment of submarines, is not known.
here are indications, however, that
the American group will be pre-
pared with definite suggestions,
both as to submarines and each
other auxiliary craft element Of the
reduction plan when an appropri-
ate moment for presentation comes.
Views of each of the other pow