New Britain herald., 1921-12-16
Great Britain Comes Out Strongly In Opposition And Italy Also Express. es Disapproval Of This Plan
if Carried Out, Would Make Tri-ColOr and Italian Naval Forces 100000 Tons Stronger Than |. $. or British.

l Washington Dec. 16. - (Ry Asso- ] ciated Press 1.-The French delegation 1 has presented d proposal for so great an increase in the strength Of the l French navy that the British declare such a program if carried out, would upset the whole plan for 5-5-2 naval reduction.
 Although not yet entirely revealed 1 the British understand that tho 1 French plan provides for the con- structins of ten 35,o0O ton super 1 drcadnaughts in the ten years sub scquent to 1925. These vessels, of 2 | type similar to the American battle ship Maryland, would give France a central ship tonnage of 35O,0O0 as | against &15,o00 for Japan and a pre- | ponderance of new post -Jutland' l type craft over all nations. Italy Disapproyes l Italy, although indicating disap- i proNaI of such a building program is said 10 have told the arms confer ence that if France constructs ten such ships she must carry out sim l liar building program. i The combined French and Italian | fleets thus would be some 200,o00 tons stronger than the British or the American allotments under the re- vised figures agreed on yesterday by | the big three
 The British spokesman said today that the French proposals if acceded to would throw out the whole naval program"
 Britain DiSapproyes
 Il had with ,lic- tinct disapprGraI from the British delegation.
 The British spokesman further de- clared that Italy did not approve of the French proposition for if it was carried out Italy would be obliged to build the same amount This meant. he said, an addition of 700,O00 tons to the European war fleets.
 The ten ships which France and Italy would build under this plan would cost roughly 10000, 000 pounds each and both France and Italy would be spending 10O,000,000 pounds or half a billion dollars in the ten year period beginning in 1925.
 France Gives Reasons The French delegates were said to have given the reason for asking ap- proval of this building program that during the war, France had built very few ships and therefore must reft.
 The American delegates the British spokesman said, also had taken a strong ground against the French proposition first objeCting for econo- mic reasons holding that the expendi- ture of so much money on naval con struction would seriously affect the economic recovery of the world.
 It was added that the Americans agreed that if the scheme were car ricd out, it would change the whole program.
 ConfCrecS Stunned.
 Washington, Dec. It. (By Associat- cd prCss) s)-Announccment hy British spokesmcn that France had asked be- fore the naval subcommittee of 15 for authority in agreement with the other four naval powers to build ten 35, QUO ton capital ships struck arms conference officials today with stun ming force.
 The proposal was so wholly out of accord with theories on which the naval conferences had proceeded that there was strong inclination in British and American circles not to take it seriously. The feeling was said to rest in part on what Premier Bri- and said at the second plenary session in regard to the American proposals for naval limitation.
 Replies To Hughes.
 Referring to Secretary Hughes hold stroke for an agreement for naval re- ductions. Mr. Briand said:
 "You have shown us the way: you have shown us that it is no longer q question of groping for a way out of the difficulty. l may say that we are back of you, Mir, Secretary.
 "Thc question with which we have first to deal here is, Of course, one that mainly concerns the great naval powers; but 1 may say for my part that have listened with great joy to the very nrgc broad and general ad- hcsion given in principle by the gov crnmeut of Great Britain and Japan"
 Mr. Brands reference to "prin- ciplcs" was construct at the time as acceptance for France of the four principles laid down by Mr, Hughes in his proposal
 Paragraph \ of the four principles stated was Us follows:
 "Thc elimination of all capital ship building programs either actual or protectcd.'
 Paragraph B reads:
 That regard should be had to the existing naval strength of the con- ferriug powers
 In view of these plain statements of the purpose of the conference and apparent French agreement in those purposes officials of other delega-
 
 CCoutinucd on Page Twenty-seven).