Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-21
Hughes-Briand Cables
(Continued from Page Onel

uhoCi Stduu1aS Will IIdnCe, MI.
Hughes added:
"You will observe the attitude of
France will determine the success or
failure Of these efforts to reduce the
heavy burden Of naval armament"
The American chairman also
stressed his view that the French
premier's statement indicating to the
conference 1.-THE particular situation
Of France with respect to land arma-
ments" seemed to point to 1.-The very
great importance of reduction in nav
al armament"
'At this time," he added. "when
we are anxious to aid France in full
recovery of her economic life, it
would be disappointing to be advised
that she was contemplating putting
hundreds Of millions into battle
ships"
That portion Of Premier Brands
reply which is taken as acceptance
Of the American $4,000 capital ship
tonnage proposal. and beyond the
strict letter of which, it Is indicated,
the French group in the committee Of
fifteen did not go today, reads as fol-
lows:
with regard to the tonnage Of cap
ital ships, that is to say, attacking
ships, which are the most costly, !
have given instructions to our dele
gates in the sense which you desire.
1 am certain that shall be sustained
by my parliament in this view.
But so far as the defensive ships
are concerned eight cruisers, torpedo
boats and subnarines) it would be
impossible for the French government.
without putting itself in contradiction
with the vote Of the chambers, to ac-
cept reductions corresponding to those
which we accept for capital ships un-
der this formal reserve which you
will certainly understand"
Mr.. Hughes pointed out to the pre-
mier 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 tonnage to 100000 ag-
gregate. He added that there was
CNCly oASPOSlSlOllp iO"OSSA, W PSA L.
France to keep all her tonnage IN
dreadnaught ships, however, cid, and
even to 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 sugges-
ton.
1.-THE proposed agreement really
doubles the relative strength Of the
French navy" his message added
pointing out that if present American
and British building programs, pro
posed to be abandoned were carried
| out, each nation would have nava
| preponderance of more than six Il
| one over France, VERY shortly"
| and France would not be in pc
! sition to better herself. much less BY
any possible endeavor, to obtain suci
| relative strength as has been sug
, gested," Mr.. Hughes added.
The French delegation was under
stood to be in receipt tonight of de
| tailed instructions as to the amour
of auxiliary naval tonnage, including
submarines, desired under an agree
ment to accept $4,000 tons as he
proportion of capital ships. Mr.
Hughes massage discloses that i
would be possible for France, unde
! that capital ship limitation, to built
two new $4,000 ton post-Jutland bat
tleships if she so desired. There ha!
been no definite indication, however
OF what submarine tonnage sh'
sought or might obtain.
Roughly, the submarine tonnage
! built and building, now possessed b,
each of the five powers is as follows
United States $4,000 tons; Grea
Britain $4,000 tons: France 42,O0'
tons; Japan $4,000 tons; Italy 22,0Ol
tons.
The maximum of the American
tonnage apparently was taken in thu
American original thiee-power pro
posal, with 5000 tons of submarine:
authorized to be abandoned. Taking
10000 as the American allotment, the
Hughes plan would give Great Brit
ain the same, and the Japanese 54,'
600 tons, or a 60 'er cent ratio.
The, French $4,000 ton capital shi.
| tonnage would mean ratio of abou
167 compared to the American an(
British five and the japanese three
! If that ratio were applied to sub.
marines France would have now
nearly 10000 tons more than her pro
portion and Japan more than 10000
! tons less.
From what direction is it planned
to attack the submarine tonnage
problem should the conference fai
the submarine. is not known. There
are indications. however, that the
| American group will be prepared
| with definite suggestions both as tc
submarines and each other auxiliary
craft element of the reduction plan
when an appropriate moment for
presentation comes. Views Of each
of the other four powers on these
points are understood TO be in pro-
cess of development informally by
the American delegation for the pur-
poses of such suggestions.
So far as the British desire to abol-
ish or at least closely curb submar-
inc activities goes, it has been said
officially for the British delegation
that agreement to the capital ship
"five-five- three ratio, the ten year
naval holiday and the retained ton
mage elements Of the American pro-
gram was in no sense conditional
The British intention, it is under
stood, is to fight the submarine Issue
out on it's merits and to regard 1t as