Evening star., 1921-12-28
10000 Tons Urged
as Maximum in
Auxiliaries.
SARRAUT ANNOUNCES
DECISION AS FINALITY
Declares France Can
Agree to 100000 Tons
of Auxiliaries.
By the Associated Press

by the Associated Press.
Casting aside the possibility of
harmonizing views on submarine ton
mage, the American delegation to the
arms conference today brought forth
a new proposal to limit the size of
submarines and other auxiliary craft
to a maximum of 10000 tons at the
meeting of the naval committee
Albert Sarraut head of the French
delegation it was understood, pre-
sented to the committee. with an air
OF nnality. the declaration that
France could not accept less than
$4,000 tons of auxiliary tonnage, in
addition to submarine tonnage of
10000. The American compromise
proposal would have given France
about $1,000 tons of submarines.
Debate Two Hours.
The presentation Of the French
viewpoint. based OH calculations of
her naval experts and reinforced by
approval of the French cabinet meet
ing yesterday in Paris. was followed
by lengthy discussions, the commit
tee adjourning the session after two
hours debate.
Italian spokesmen. following presen-
tation of the French demand. 1t was
said. expressed regret that France
had not seen it clear to accept a
smaller tonnage. and Japan also
through her DELEGATION spokesman de-
c1ared that the French demands
amounted to something which Japan
could not hope to sanction under the
American proposal.
The British and Japanese delega-
tions, are understood to have stated
that in view of the French stand on
submarines they would both feel COM
PEELED to reserve action on the tom
mage ratio for auxiliary craft allotted
Great Britain and Japan under the
American plan.
British Ready to Act.
deadlock in the conference naval
discussions. a British spokesman to-
day said, that if the submarine ques-
tions were not settled, Great Britain
would assert her right to build, not
only submarines, but such auxiliary
crafts as she believed necessary to
defend her commerce.
The British spokesman believed.
however, that even if the powers
could not get together in limiting
the number of submarines it would
at least be possible for them to agree
marines to purely naval purposes and
to prohibit their use against mer-
chant shipping.
May Agree ON Size.
Possibility also was seen by the
British spokesman that the confer
ence still would be able to agree upon
some limitation upon the size of light
cruisers. Such craft are generally
regarded as secondary vessels and
not included in the limitation placed
upon capital ship construction.
The spokesman asserted that in the
absence of any restrictions it would
be possible to build these cruisers
big enough to be in reality capital
ships.
1t also would be possible, it was
said, for the conference to agree to
limit the number Of airplane carriers
to be allotted to the various powers.
All of these subjects have been un-
der consideration rather Informally
by the naval experts, and it is ex-
pected that they will be brought
forward for the consideration of the
full naval committee as soon as it
acts finally upon the submarine issue.
The British spokesman felt sure
that the lack OF an agreement upon
submarines could not react to dis
turb the arrangement already made
for the ratio of capital ships. He
said that the agreement was 'in a
water-tight compartment" and not
subject to revision.