Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-22
BRITISH DELEGATES
ASK OPEN SESSION
ON UNDERSEA CRAFT

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-(By the
Associated Press.)-The British dele
cation has formally asked that a
plenary session of the Washington
conference be held Thursday if
possible in order that Great Britain
may present it's case for the aboli-
ton of the submarine.
The British spokesman who an
nounced the request said no infor-
nation was forthcoming as to wheth-
err the meeting had or would be
granted.
1t was expected, however, that the
session would be held Thursday.
Lord Lee, it was understood, as
head of the British admiralty, would
present the British case in a care
fully prepared statement, dealing
largely with technical features. Ar
thur J. Balfour, head Of the British
delegation, probably will follow, dis
cussing general phases of submarine
warfare.
British Viewpoint
Whether there would be general
discussion of the submarine question
by other delegates did not develop
today, but it was expected that the
other delegates would ask for time
to consider thu British position.
The British spokesman, in dis
cussing the submarine tonnage cues
ton, declared that unless an agree
ment was reached on that phase of
the question, all that had been &C.
complished toward naval limitation
might be upset.
He recalled that the agreement
reached by the United States, Great
Britain and Japan in regard to the
naval ratio of capital ships was con-
ditiOned upon a satisfactory supple
mentary agreement in regard to the
French and Italian naval ration,
which he said so far has not been
heard.
In other quarters close to the Brit
lsh delegation it was suggested that
two plenary sessions might be
sought, the first Of which would be
devoted to a complete statement of
the British case regarding subma-
rineS
If total abolition of the submersi-
BILE arm is generally opposed, was
said, Great Britain will then move
for substantial curtailnent in the
form of decreased submarine ratios
as compared with those allowed I'M
der the original American plan
France today accepted the Ameri-
can proposal that she be accorded a
capital ship tonnage of 175,000 tons
under the naval limitation agree
ment.
The acceptance of the French
was given at a meeting of the con-
ference of the naval subcommittee
Of fiftee nat which was presented
the correspondence between Chair
man Hughes and Premier BRAND
on the question of capital ship ton
mage of France.
Action of the French delegation
before the subcommittee, as indi-
Gated by the British spokesman, is
in line with the statements attrib-
uted to Premier BRAND in London
that France was more particularly
interested in the proportion of
cruisers, destroyers and other aux
iliary naval craft, particularly SUBJ
marines, than in the capital ship
proportion. 1t was assumed that
the next step of the Washington
conference would be to take up the
submarine tonnage question.
The French premier's reply to Mr..
Hughes emphasized that capital
ships were essentially ATTACKING
ships" and that the ''pre-occupation
of France is not the offensive point
Of view, but uniquely the defensive
pCitn of view"
The French premier in his reply
to Mr.. Hughes. as made public after
the committee meeting, declared(
however, that as to "the defensive
ships" light cruisers, torpedo boats
and submarines. it would be inpos-
sible for the French government to
accept reductions corresponding to
those which we accept for capital
ships" without contradicting the
vote of the French parliament.
In the expectation of an early
completion of matters of immediate
| Importance before the Washington
conference, members of the Japa-
nese delegation and their various
staffs have tentatively booked the
entire capacity of the steamer