Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-19
BRITISH DELEGATES
TORETURN HOME TO
GET CABINET VIEWS
Leave for London Tonight:
Announcement Causes Sen.
sation at Geneva.
GIBSON MORE HOPEFUL
OF NAVAL AGREEMENT
Beginning to See Light, Says Amer
ican Representative-Har-
mony Prevails.

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 19.-
A sensation was caused here late to-
day by the official announcement
that Earl Cecil. member Of the Brit
ish delegation to the tripartite naval
conference, will return 10 London TO-
night and W. c. Bridgeman, head OF
the British delegation, tomorrow tor
the purpose of consulting with the
British cabinet and elucidating the
British position at the naval con-
ference.
Capt. Edgerton Of the British dele
CATION also will return instead or Al
miral Field. who is ill.
The Journey to England will mean
several days suspension OF the naval
conference.
The British declined any further
statement except TO say that the re-
mainder of the delegation will stay
on in Geneva.
1t is believed here that the London
consultation was considered necessary
because of the seriousness with which
the British representatives view the
problem of the size of secondary
cruisers and the caliber of their arma-
ment.
Gibson More Optimistic.
The American delegation is con-
tending for the right to build large
size secondary cruisers capable of sup
porting S-inch guns, to which the
British are opposed.
1--WE are more optimistic now than
We have been for some days." Hugh
S. Gibson, chief American delegate to
the tripartite naval conference, de-
clared after a conference this morning
between the six principal delegates.
The discussions are continuing in
a most cheerful and friendly atmos-
phere," added Mr.. Gibson. 1--WE are
beginning to see some light ahead"
Mr.. Gibson, however, indicated that
this mornings deliberations. which
were devoted to the broader phases
of the cruiser problem as a whole.
would have to be followed by several
other sessions of the big Six" and
'Tfat the harmonious spirit prevailing
today did not necessarily signify rapid
progress in concluding the work Of
the conference.
The American delegate stated that
there would be no meeting of the
executive committee of the confer
ence for three or four days. This in
dicates that there is little likelihood
of another public plenary session of
the conference before next week.
Obsoleteness Discussed.
The question of defining the obso.
1eteness Of cruisers-determinin what
ships shall be counted as active units
and included in the total tonnage limi-
tation of surface craft-appears to
have formed the subject of today's
discussion.
Replying to a question as to wheth-
er agreement was in sight on the
number Of 10.000-ton cruisers, carry
ing 8inch guns, to which each of the
three powers would be entitled, M.
Gibson said that that problem had not
vet come officially before the con-
ferees and that it would be some time
before it was reached.
One indication that there was some
progress to report was the decision
of the American delegation to receive
representatives of the world press this
afternoon, these meetings having been
suspended several days ago.
After the conference, Mr.. Gibson
had a busy day ahead of him in con-
sultation with the technical experts.
Tentative Accord Reported.
Twelve 1o.O0o-ton cruisers for the
United States, IL for Great Britiap
and eight for Japan-such is the
tentative agreement reported to have
been reached yesterday at a private
meeting of the chief delegates.
Now that Great Britain has come
down handsomely" as one observer
put it, in total tonnage figures and
met the American views in this re-
spect, the outstanding problem to he
solyved is the size of the smaller
cruisers and the size of the guns to be
mounted on these.
The British spokesman said last
night that it would be exceedingly diff
ficult for Great Britain to obtain even
the reduced number of cruisers, as
now proposed, unless the Americans
and Japanese agreed to lessen the
displacement in the second category
of cruisers and restrict the guns to
6 inches.
But the Americans may even ask
the right to have the maximum of the
second category placed at 5000 tons,
instead of keeping it at 1900, which
represents the indefinite tonnage of
the Omaha class of cruisers. The
British tendency is to restrict the size
TO 5000 tons, and to keep 8-inch guns
on the seas unless tney are installed
on 10,000-ton cruisers.
The American delegates apparently
are aiming to convince the British
that the American Navy, whatever
guns are carried. is not built against
Great Britain, and that because of
close AnSlo-American friendship there
can be no justification for apprehen-
sior.
NEW ALLIANCES MAY RESULT.