Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-31
LIMIT ADOPTED
ON TONNAGE OF
AIRCRAFT ships
Naval Committee Decides on
Substantial Increase Over
Original Plan
ACTION DELAYED
Roots Proposals Held up-French
Delegates RepRdiate Paris Experts
Article on Submarines

Washington, Dec. Enlargement
was reached in the naval committee
today upon tonnage and maximum
armament of aircraft carriers, with a
substantial increase over the proposed
tonnage, but no action was taken on
the Root resolutions to debar sub
marines from attacking merchantmen
and to treat violations as piracy, nor
upon the proposal to limit to 10000
tons all ships other than capital ships
and aircraft carriers.
These matters remain open pending
instructions as to the submarine rules
from the governpents of France,
Italy and Japan and as to the maxi
mum tonnage Of auxiliary ships from
France. Until the instructions are re-
z ceived no further meeting of the naval
committee will be held, although the
technical experts will work on the re-
placement chart and various more or
less technical odds and ends and the
legal advisers will prepare the naval
treaty.
In the morning session of the naval
committee the French not only denied
approval of but formally repudiated
an article written by French naval
officer approving German use OF sub
marines. 1t had been brought up by
Lord Lee. Following his comment on
it. M. Sarraut heatedly protested
against criticisms of the French policy
here as being aggressive and mill
/ taristic. He also paid his respects
to those who have suggested that
.EraRce pay her. debts before bnilding
The debts he Said, are 20 -Franes as
scars to wounded soldier, and she
is proud of them.
The end of the naval section of the
conference being imminent, attention
is shifting to Far Eastern questions,
and there is every sign of an early
( and general crisis. The japanese say
they have gone as far as they will go
regarding Shantung and that they
will not agree to consideration of the
treaties based on the 81 demands
Manchuria is outside the conference,
they state specifically. Their attitude
as to Eastern questions still open
broadly speaking, is that other ma
tions are not to be allowed to review
and pass upon their acts.
The Chinese, frankly admitting to-
, night through one of their delegates
that they are disappointed over the
treatment of Chinese matters in the
conference, and stating equally frank
ly that they believe the important
problems could have been solved
without this delay" are preparing to
call on Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Balfour
to use their good offices for salts
factory settlement of Shantung, and,
take up the question. They also in
tend to force the issue as to the
treaties arising from the 81 demands.
They admit they are being lombard
ed from China and forecast serious
reactions at home unless the confer
ence makes satisfactory settlement of
such matters as Shantung, the 81 de-
mands, treaties and the customs ques-
tion. The Chinese say plainly that
the boycott movemen, inaugurated
yesterday against japanese goods may
become very important, although they
carefully refrain from flat predic-
tions.
The agreement reached in the naval
committee on airship carriers is that
the five naval nations shall have the
following tonnage:
The United States, $4,000.
Great Britain, $4,000.
Japan $1,000.
France. 10000.
Italy. 100000
This establishes an approximate
ratio of 5-5-3-2-2. 1t will give the
1 United States and England five car
riers each of $4,000 tons, and Japan
three of the same tonnage.
That tonnage per ship was named
as the maximum. France will have
three carriers of 10000 tons each.
Italy may have the same or two car
riers of 27,000 tons each. All of these
ships will be restricted to guns not
heavier than the eight-inch.