New Britain herald., 1927-07-07
NAVAL CONFERENCE
SEEKS Agreement
Calm Comes Today Following
Located Debates

GENEVA, july ~@Calm cam
today to the tripartite naval con-
ference after yesterdays hours OF
storm with the British. American
and Japanese delegations, armed
with pencils, trying to devise some
solution for the cruiser problem
which will prevent a breakup OF
the conference.
A British spokesman said today
that both the American and jap
anese experts appear to have mis-
understood the British figures and
that an agreement could be reached
If everyone, would realize that
Great Britain does not intend to in
clude projected building programs
in her cruiser figures but only
ships actually appropriated for.
Indications now exist that the
British have been impressed with
the Japanese advocacy of the
American move for a low cruiser
limitation. In her proposal sub
mitted at yeserday's privae meet
ing, Japan adhered to system OF
linking cruisers and destroyers and
is understood to have announced
that she will accept total tonnage
of 100000 for all auxiliary surface
craft. This Japanese estimate is
conditional upon an agreement
that the United states and Great
Britain would accept for themselves
100000 tons each of cruisers and
destroyers combined.
Japan also is understood to have
requested 10000 tons of subma-
rines. which is some 5000 tons in
excess of the maximum American
suggestion for submarines to be al
located to Japan. This proposal
would mean that Japan is support
ing the American figures for sur
face craft, but wants some preferen-
tial position regarding submarines.
The original American proposal
was that the combined tonnage of
both the cruiser and destroyer
classes should not exceed $4,000
tons at any time for the United
States and Great Britain and that
Japan should not exceed $4,000
tons. Japan now proposes 100000
tons for herself which, on the basis
of 100000 tons for the United
States and Great Britain, would
give her a position somewhat i'm
proved over the 5-5-3 ratio fixed at
Washington for capital ships.
Japan Causes Sensation
Japans nat-hooted declaration
that she is for all possible limitation
of tonnage in the cruiser class of
warships. thereby taking even a
stronger stand than the Americans,
who had offered to raise the maxi
mum tonnage to 100000 tons in or
der to appease Great Britain. was
the dominant topic of discussion Of
the conference today.
The fact that the technical ex-
perts who on Tuesday agreed to
disagree and did not meet yesterday
were called for a discussion today.
was taken as indicating, that the
japanese announcement, while stag
gering British hopes. had cleared the
atmosphere enough to permit re-
approaching the cruiser problem
from another angle.
Admiral saito, announced the
Japanes, stand at a tea last night.
were invited. He commended that
the interests OF the world would best
be served by adherence to the or
iginal minimum cruiser tonnage
figures of the United States of $50
600 tons.
If we went back with treaty
providing merely for revision up
ward. instead of real limitation, .
one facetious son of Nippon re-
marked. I'VE would not dare land in
Japan. We would have to go to
Korea, where Admiral Saito is gov
ernor and get him to protect US"
Called Impossible
W. G. Bridgeman. first lord of the
British admiralty, referring to the
figures mentioned by Admiral Saiot,
declared they We're impossible as a
basis of discussion.
When asked to comment later. he
would only say that there were three
parties to the conference and two of
them were finding 1t difficult to un-
derstand the peculiar situation of
one of them-Great Britain.
Because of the far flung nature of
the empire. indications are that the
British will not recede. Competent
observers. therefore, believe that the
success of the deliberations de-
ponds on whether Great Britain will
be able to convince Japan and the