Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-08
Bridgeman, in Statement, At
tacks Maintenance of
large-Sized Warships.
Determination TO GET
AGREEMENT INDICATED
Delegates Seek Compromise on
Cruiser Problem at Executive
Committee Session.

conference is far from healed and not
only continues. but has become more
acute, was indicated by a statement |
issued to the press this afternoon by |
w. G. Bridgeman, first lord of the
British admiralty.
Without naming the United States.
Mr.. Bridgeman limited broadly that
maintenance Of large sized warships /
might be construed as aggressive |
rather than defensive.
The first lord declared it was impos-
sible to arrive at low total tonnage |
if the maximum tonnage in each type |
of warship was to be pushed UP into
types that becam. aggressive weapons.
Arguing that the British proposals |
were based entirely on a desire to
give Great Britain proper security and |
defense, he said 1.-The more that is |
understood, the more will be the hope |
of getting an agreement.
Opposed offensive Cruisers"
Mr.. Bridgeman declared that Great |
Britain had not favored the 10000
ton offensive cruisers" when these |
were authorized at the Washington |
conference of 1922, and that she only |
has them now because she was obliged |
to build some in self protection.
Hence, 1t was not Great Britain's
fault If her total tonnage was high, |
he said, as sit has been forced upon |
u.s."
The first lord referred to the re-
cent statement of Georges Leyguos,
French minister of marine, as one
which coincided with the principles of
the British position and as advo -atlng |
the British claims.
NJ. Leygues was quoted as saying
that nation should have fleet in
proportion to the place it had oc-
cupied on the seas for centuries.
Mr.. Bridgeman's statement was
taken as reply to the insistence or
the American delegation upon the
right of the United States to main
tain cruisers of the 10,000-ton class.
Delegates Seek Compromise.
All the delegates wore smiles as
they emerged from the private ses-
sion of the executive committee
of the naval conference today. and
later there were expressions by both
participants and observers that things
were going very much better.
This produced the distinct impression
that the tension of the past two days
had lessened measurably and that the
plenipotentiaries were attacking the
problems with a genuine determine
tiOn to reach an agreement
The cruiser problem, which Is the
danger point of the conference. was
discussed in general terms. 1t is un-
lerstood that no advance was made
in solving the difficulty which has
arisen from the divergent figures pre-
sented by Great Britain on the one
hand and the United States and Japan
on the other.
Admiral Saito. head of the Japanese
delegation, explained the new Japa-
nese proposal, which follows the line
of the American minimum proposals
for cruisers and destroyers, but re-
quests a higher proportion of subma-
rines.
Discuss Other Classes.
The executive committee during its
session discussed reports submitted by
the technical committee on destroyers
and submarines.
Total tonnage figures on these
categories of vessels did not, 1t is un-
derstood, figure in the reports. One
reason for this is that the japanese
have proposed new total tonnage fig
ures for submarines in excess of the
estimates contained in the original
American proposals
Everybody is showing a real dispo-
sition to get together" Hugh S. Glib
son. chief of American delegates, de-
clared upon leaving the meeting. lie
laughed away reports current IN the
Geneva morning newspapers that
the conference was about to break up,
adding. Far from it!'
The fact that a plenary session of
fnr To
set for Monday is taken as a hopeful
sign by observers. indicating that the
situation has eased considerably.
AmicabIe Discussion Held.
The discussion this morning was
most amicable, frank and free, the
participants asserted, and real prog
ress, however slight, was effected.
The drafting committee of the ex'
ecutive body was meeting this after
noon to put the finishing touches on
it's report of what the conference has
accomplished to date, this to embody
the points on which the three dele
cations. the United States. Great Brit
ain and Japan, are in accord.
The report will then be submitted
to the delegations separately and,
after being revised and approved, will
be made public probably tonight.
The executive committee is meeting
again tomorrow morning. at 10:3O
o'clock.
Gibson Seeks Compromise.
Hugh S. Gibson, who heads the
American delegation, and w. e.
Bridgeman, first lord of the British
admiralty, continued private talks
with a view to reaching a compro'
mise.
Mr.. Gibson was still optimistic to-
day that the cruiser question would
be solved. He said:
I'VE are both making every honest
effort to see each others viewpoint.
We are trying to get our tonnage,
they their number of cruisers"
The date of a plenary session is
still nebulous, as the technical ex-
perts first must study the new Japa-
nese proposal for fixing the total tom
mage of cruiser and destroyer classes
for the three powers and allowing
them to adjust their strength accord. |
ing to their needs within the limit
thus set. Then there Is the third
class of auxiliary warships which the
conference has under consideration
submarines. Here, too, the Japanese
have submitted a new proposal for a
considerably increased total tonnage.
This followed defeat for the japanese
on their demand that they be per-
mitted to build an unlimited number
of small undersea craft.
Admiral Saito has asked for 10000