Franco-Italian Deadlock Still Existing Without Moves to Rectify the Situation London, Mar. 17.
The Conference is still determined to achieve, if possible, a Five Powers Pact, Matters are well advanced to this end as between Britain and the United States, Japan and the United States and Britain and Japan. No agreements have been reached but the ground has been thoroughly prepared, The: European situation, as represented by the differences between France and Italy, ig the main preoccupation of the Delegations and until this is resolved little progress can be made with the major, prospect. The difficulties have -been enhanced by the discovery by France that there is little likelihood of political guarantees being forthcom-Ing in exchange for the sealing down of her tonnage figures and also by. the insistence of Italy upon parity with the largest Continental Naval Power.
Regarding the suggestion that the political issues raised should be transferred to Geneva it is stated that no such proposal has been mooted officially.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.