Evening star., 1921-12-20
FRENCH PROPOSAL
ON RATIO BEFORE
NAVY>COMM|TTEE
Plan Understood to Provide
for Fleet Proportion for
Defense Uses.
SARRAUT's PRESENTATION
LARGELY ON PRINCIPLES
Agreement on Capital Ship Ton
mage Expected to Be Reach
ed Without Delay.

W w ALAVNV AVAoys
The French have accepted the
American proposal for 1.75 ratio
of capital ship tonnage, with reser-
vntfonx as to the auxiliary craft,
including submarines.
An Official statement issued after
a meeting Of the committee Of If
teen today contained the corre-
spOndence between Secretary
Hughes and Premier BRAND In re-
gard to the naval ratio.
The French plan was discussed
mt the meeting of the committee
of fifteen today, and much prog
ress was made. Tomorrow Mt II
am. the full committee ON ltmita-
tiOn of armament will meet to con-
slider n report of the committee of
fifteen.
Secretary Hughes in his cable to
tion of the conference in regard to
the naval ratios of the United
States, Great Britain and Japan,
with regard to the tonnage of cap
ital ships proposed for France, said:
I'VE are entirely willing that
France should have the benefit of
an increased tonnage, which would
preclude the necessity of her
scrapping her dreadnanghts; that
is to say. her present strength in
dreadnaughts is about 164. 900 tons,
and there is not the slightest OBJ
lection to allowing this and an
increase over this, or a total of
175.00O tons, which would be more
than 10000 tons over what she
would have on the basis of rela-
tive strength as it exists"
NJ. BRAND in his reply said: in part
With regard to the tonnage of
capital ships, that is to say. at
tacking ships, which are the most
costly, / have given instructions to.
our delegates in the sense which
you desire 1 am certain that I
shall be sustained by my parlia-
ment in this view.
But so far as the defensive ships
are concerned Digit cruisers, tor
pedo boats and submarines), it
would be impossible for the French
government, without putting itself
in contradiction with the vote of
the chambers, to accept reductions
corresponding to those which we
accept for capital ships under this
formal reserve which you will GER
tainly understand.
1.-The idea which dominates the
Washington conference rs to re-,
strict naval armament which are
offensive and costly. But l do not
believe that it is in the program
to deny to a nation like France,
which has a large extent of coasts
and a great number of distant col
onies, the essential means of de-
Tending it's communications and it's
security"
y the Associated Press.
The modified proposals of tn
french government as to the nava
agreement were pressnte'
o the naval subcommittee of fifteel
f the Washington conference toda,
" Albert Sarraut. head of the Frencl
The presentation, of NJ. Sarraut, i
vas learned, was largely one of prin
iples. much attention being given t
he necessity felt by France for ade
Iuate defense. The French delegation
ead indicated Frances willingness t
take concessions on capital ship ton
age, but not as to submersibles an
ther auxiliayies.
See Early Agreement.
The impression was given as tn
laval committee went into session
hat an agreement with respect t.
aptial ship tonnage of France AM
tally would be reached withou
,reat delay. In American quarter
t was stated that acceptance b!
rance of limitation of capital ship
vas not understood to be contingen
N an agreement as to auxilliar,
raft.
The impression gained at Frencl
allegation headquarters today was
LoWever, that an agreement is no
likely to be reached without som
ays' examination of the latest Frenc
but full confidence ex
SITS of ultimate accord.
~, kh4 nj i0t q
pokesman for the Italian delegation
1ill insist upon equality with Franc
n defensive craft, as well as In capi
al ship tonnage. In reply to an In
uiry as to whether Italy needed a
arge navy as that of France, con
idering that the Italian navy wa
n one sea only, while that of Franc
vas distributed in the Mediterranean
n the Atlantic and far easter water!
e replied that Italy certainly woul
insist upon naval equality. as he
enance of communication with tn
United States, Canada and Australia
lie remarked that neither France no
tally attached much importance to CAPT
al ships. .
Mr. Hughes Reads Dispatches.
Chairman Hughes, it is understood
cad to the committee of fifteen 500
.fter it convened today his dispatc
o Premier BRAND relating to tn
french proposals submitted las
and the reply receive
rom M. BRAND. The text Of bot
were expected to b
,iven out later in the official state
nent.
Mr.. Hughes dispatch was describe
Is quite lengthy, containing con
iderable detailed argument. whil
he premier's reply was said to hav
certain definiteness without giyin
pecific figures.
After the dispatches were read, N
|arraut proceeded to present tn
french proposals as modified