London, May 20, The Parliamentary Secretary to, the Admiralty stated at question time in the House of Commons that it wa snot proposed to. Invoke the escalator clause of the 1990. naval treaty in respect of the Hawkins: class of cruisers.
Replying to a. question regarding their re-armament, he said it was Intended to remove 7.5 inch guns before December 3, but, as these ships were to undergo large repairs to fit them for ten years' further Te-armament would not be completed by the end of the year.
During the re-At, the ships would be given armament which would Dung them within" sub-category B for light surface vessels as aid down in the recent four-Power agreement—Wireless through Reuter, Tokyo's Reply Tokyo, May 24.
Japan's reply to the British Gov. ernment's request for the retention of 40,000 tons of over-age destroyers was cabled yesterday to Mr. Keinosuke Fujii, Japanese Charge D'Atfaires in London.
The reply emphasized the necessity. of strict adherence to the terms of the London Naval Limitation Treaty, and suggested that, the British inten tion to convert "A" class cruisers Into those of "BY class and also to Increase the number of training ships waa not In accordance with the Dro= visions of the agreement.
The communication however, expressed the readiness of the Japanese Government to negotiate on the dis-vessels the scrapping of!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.