South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-19
FRENCH EXPLAIN
NAVAL PROGRAM
LASTS 20 YEARS
No Disposition Evident to Ac-
cept American $4,000
Ton Proposal.
100000 TONNAGE IN 1881
Brands Acceptance of Prin-
ciple Applicable Only
to Limitations.
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 1S.-PropO-
sails made by the French delegation
Thursday TO the naval committee of
the armament conference included
a definite schedule Of construction
which contemplated the replacement
by 1941 OF the present French bat
tie feet by ten new ships totalHng
$50. 900 tons.
The proposals and the accompany
ing schedule OF planned construc-
ton were presented with the fun
authority of the French govern
ment. II was learned on best au-
thOrity Sunday night and were not.
as had been indicated in some quar-
ters merely "a tentative depart
mental plan"
Claim Plan Reasonable.
Auth oritative French opinion. as
obtainable Sunday night was that
the plan and its resulting ratio for
France was entirely reasonable. Il
was made plain that there was no
disposition to modify the proposals
in their vital features, or to accept
the $4,000 ton ratio proposed by
The first new ship would be laid
down in 1925, under the French
plan submitted TO the committee.
and each year the keel of an addi-
tional ship would be laid TO gradu-
ally replace and augment the pres
ent capital ships OF France which.
in the opinion OF her government,
are antiquated in design and made
quate to properly protect the ma
tion's interests.
Last Ship Ready I'm 1871.
The naval experts OF the French
! delegation estimated that the last OF
the new ships would be ready for
service in 1871, or not before 10
years after the period OF the naval
holiday contemplated in the 1nnita-
ton agreement now before the con-
ference.
The essential features Of the
French plan were submitted In
committee in tabulated form for
proposed construction as follows:
Year Capital Ship Tonnage Ships
1926 $4,000 All old
1881 100000 new. old
1895 235,000 old, Z new
1871 $4,000 10 new
An analysis of the table, It was
explained. would show that the
French navy at the end OF 10 years
would figure about 2OO,O tons Of
capital ships including two new
dreadnaughts and that these would
be only 10000 tons, representing
about the tonnage Of the two new
ships over the allotment made to
France under the American plan.
Expect No Change.
The Paris government has been
kept fully informed OF what tran
spired in the conference on Thurs
! day, Friday and Saturday, No
recommendation for change has
been made from the delegation here
and no supplem entary instructions
have been received from Paris.
The conviction exists among mem
bers OF the delegation that none Will
be received unless recommended by
the delegation.
The members Of the delegation
are confident that the more their fig
ures are examined the less will they
be opposed by either the American
government or American public
opinion but even II they were found
unacceptable they declare It Is not
seen how they could be reduced
materially having in view the
strength OF the colonial party in
France. This. IL was explained, is
not a political organization in par
Continued on page two