The New York herald., 1921-12-19
FRANCE Will STAND
BY NAVAL PROPOSAL
Believes Plan for Ten New
Ships by 1871 Is Reasonable
and Will BE Accepted.
PRESENT FLEET Is OLD
Delegates Say Public Opinion
Is Their Guide-Explain
Brands Acceptance
PRESENT FLEET Is OLD

WASHINGTON. Dec. 1s lAssociated
Press) Proposals made by the
French delegation Thursday TO the
poval committee of the armament
conference. included definite sched-
ule OF construction which contemplat-
ed the replacement by 1941 of the
present French battle fleet by ten
ships totalling 100000 tons.
Authoritative French opinion. as OBJ
tained tonight, was that the plan with
its resulting ratio for France was en-
tirely reasonable. 1t was made plain
that there was no disposition to modify
the proposals in their vital features
or to accept the 175,0o0 ton ratio pro-
posed by the American delegation.
The first new ship would be laid down
in 1926, under the French plan Submitted
to the committee. and each year tho
keel OF an additional ship would be
laid gradually to replace and augment
the present capital ship tonnage of
France. which. in the opinion of her
Government. is antiquated in design and
inadequate to properly protect the
nations interests.
The naval experts OF the French dele
cation estimated that the last of the
new ships would be ready for service
in 1871. or not before ten years after
the period OF the naval holiday con-
templated in the limitation agreement
now before the conference.
Tho proposals and the accompanying
| ~
presented with the full authority OF the
French Government il was learned on
hest authority tonight, and were not,
as has been indicated in some quarters,
merely "a tentative departmental plan"
The essential features were submitted
in committee in a table illustrating pro-
posed construction, as follows;
Year Capital ship tonnage
1925 coo all cid dreadnoughts
1881 100000 two new. six old dreadnoushts
1886 23j 600 one old, seven new dresdnouShts
1871 $50. 600 ten now dreadnoushts.
An analysis Of the table. It was ex-
planned. would show that the French
navy AZ the end of ten years would fig
ure about 200. 900 tons OF capital ships.
including two new dreadnoushts. and
that this would be only 10000 tons,
representing approximately the tonnage
OF two new ships. over the allotment
made TO France under tho American plan.
The members OF the delegation are
confident that the more their figures
are examined the less will they be op-
posed by either the American Govern
ment or American public opinion. but
even II they were found unacceptable
Il
could be reduced materially. having In
view tho strength OF the colonial party
IN France
" pubic opirion is 10 be the guide
for tho French delegation. u was pointed
out by it's members French opinion Is
the only one that tncy can follow.
While much regret is expressed over
the impression that appears 10 exist
among the delegates Of the three major
naval Powers that France has surprised
them by asking more than had been
expected. members OF the French oeo-
CATION consider this as IN no sense their
responsibility because they gave their
Figures as soon as they we're asked to
do So
Although the French naval plan itself
stipulstes that no now capital ship shall
bo laid down before 1895. the view OF the
French Government. VI is affirmed, Is
that building can be begun in that
year and regularly continued hccaIse
By that time u Is expected that French
finances viii have recovered sufsiciCntly
TO permit OF this expenditure.
ATLANTIC COAST Ii>E-- Augusta Charles
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