The Washington times., 1929-08-30
SIDES
CONCEDE
POINTS
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
international News Service

Great Britain and the
United States have substanti-
ally agreed upon the broad
principles of naval accord
between the two countries.
There will have to be, how
ever, more exchanges between
Washington and London be-
fore the agreement in princi-
pie is ready for public an
nouncement.
Both sides have made concessions
from the positions taken at the
Abortive Geneva Conference in 1927,
which broke up because of the utter
inability of the experts to get to.
gether on the controversial cruiser
question, THE statesmen" as ex-
emplified by President Hoover and
Premier Ramsay Macdonald, have
proven more amenable to compro'
mise than were "the Admirals" at
Geneva.
Terms OF Compromise
It Is believed here that the COM
promise reached embraces the fol-
lowing:
/. The United States is to pro-
~sed with the construction Of the
Is new 10,00O-ton cruisers ordered by
Congress last year, to be completed
In three years. These cruisers will
mount S-inch guns, and give the
A ,erican Navy superiority in the
3-inch gun type.
Q. Great Britain ig to retain su.
periority in gross cruiser tonnage
uEI time and a replacement pro-
gram, now being worked out. tend to
bring the two navies to approximate
parity, which probably will be be-
tween 1885 and 1910.
willing to End "SubS"
3. Both countries are willing to
abolish submarines provided the
other powers, Japan. France and
Italy, are also willing.
4. The time for replacement Of
capital ships (dreadnaughts) under
the Washington Arms Conference
treaties, is to be extended, thus saw
Ing all concerned considerable
money.
The completion Of the 15.cruiser
program will give the United States
approximately 100000 tons Of first
class cruisers, embracing % ships
of the 10,000-ton class, mounting
S-inch guns, and 10 ships of the
7,500-ton class, with 6-inch batteris.
Great Britain now has approx
mately 100000 gross tons of cruis-
ers, of which Is are of the 10000
7,500.ton class, with 6-inch batteries.
The rest run the scale downward
to as low as 1880 tons and many
are now approaching the age of re.
tirement. The cruiser units of the
British. however, number 81, as
against the 3S the United States
will have upon completion of the
present three-year building program.
U. s. Concessions Big
It thus becomes obvious that the
United States has made very mater.
ial concessions to the British, at
least as compared with what Am
bassador Hugh s. Gibson, upon the
advice Of his experts at Geneva,
was willing to offer.
The British contention that these
small cruisers should be considered
as police boats" instead Of Of
fensive war vessels was thrown out
at Geneva as Utterly untenable. 1t
was pointed out at that time that
the cruiser Emden, the famous
German sea raider, was only $500
tons, yet she sank nearly 10000
tons of British shipping and It
took the whole British navy months
to catch her.
That, in itself. the Americans
contended, proved the fallacy of
trying to class small cruisers as
defensive" and police" boats.
The Coolidge Administration was
quite adamant in backing Gibson
on this point.
The new Administration, how
ever, has, to all appearances, re.
ceded from this view. How much
1t has receded can only be dis.
closed by the publication of de-
tails of the accord, but it is SUI.
ficient to cause not a little under.
cover grumbling In high naval
circles.
Another communication is ex.
pected from London over the week
end. This is in reply to the com.
munication sent from Washington
earlier this week, as exclusively
reported by international News