Mr. A. V. Alexander, who presid-vat the meeting,' asked the delegates whether it' was possible to deal with the question of the abolition of submarines, As the outcome of the views expressed, the First Lord of the Admiralty regretted that agree tates! point of view in favour of the abolition of svbmiersible craft was unattainable, It was agreed to report? accordingly to the Naval Conference.
The unit tonnage of submarines was next discussed. The general proposal had been for a maximum of 2,000 tons, but the French delegate said that France had already launched one larger than this and would like two more not exceeding 2,800 tons each.
The Committee decided to recommend (0 the Conference to limit the unit size to 2,000 tons, but with the proviso that any Power might have up {0 three submarines not exceeding 2,800 tons each, on the understanding that these would be embraced in the total tonnage: of the country's submarine category.
The French delegate also desired that the calibre: of gums on super submarines should be 6-inch instead of Geineh, ay the experts had commended. was agreed that super-sub-sh marines should have G-inch guns, S-inch guns, The Committee dee led, after a eng di n, to refer the matter jof the placing of aircraft carriers to the experts for definition and for an early recommendation, The humanization of subn warfare was also the subject of important proposals in the report of the Experts Committee. It records ths view that the term chant vessel" should such a vessel par hostilities in such a manner as to forfeit the right to immunity.
The experts recommend a declaration cly the Governments accepting, as the established rules of international law, that submarines must conform with the same rules as surface warships; and, also, that unless merchantmen refuse to stop on demand, or resist search, no warship may sink or disable merchantmen without ensuring the safely of the passengers and crew and the ship's papers.
The experts further recommend that a ship's boats should not be regarded as a place of safety unless other safety conditions exist.
The First Committee adopted the and the report and he referred to a plenary meeting of the Conference, The reservations attached by the Japanese Government to their ae:
ice of the compromise tonnage proposals, which were agreed upon by the United States and the Tapanese delegations in London with the full concurrence of the British delegation, were this morning examined by the delegations of the other Three Powers concerned.
'A communique issued at the conclusion of the interview between reservations of the Japanese Government to the proposals sent to Tokyo part of a potential Five-Power pact, reached a general agreement Jon most of the points at their mceting to-day and witl to-morrow deal with one or two matters still outstanding.
The speci Jed by the jer the question also met to: manship of Mr..A. V. Alexander, the first Lord of the Admiralty. It was agreed that "the general term, aircraft carrier', for the purposes of the present "agreement should comprehend, firstly, aircraft cam ment Britain's destroyers would be reduced from 190,000 tons to 1 000 tons, but the reduc is be affected by the i of, sub The United the Treaty would be able to adjust their position ju accordance the construction programmes of the other Powers. out the Agree:
The heads of the delegations to the London Naval Conference met at St. James's Palace to-day and approved the appointment of a com mittee of jurists to draft the naval armaments treaty. A committee of ships under the Washington Treaty. This woul have involved an ex: penditure of at least £50,000,000 up to 1936, In addition, we "should make a saving of over' $4,000,000 in maintenances charges in respect of ye battleships, which are to be prematurely scrapped, In the case of cruisers, the First Land stated, it was not possible to rive a figure, but he might indicate the general position by saying that when the minent cams into ofice Fast year, they found sixty= Unree cruisers built, building, and authorized in connection with i pros gramme which aimed at a generat goal of sisty underage cruisers and ietnt ae dene a the] he, Seeetars-General of the Gon-] Grace the present Agreement the experts, under the chairmanship often overage, or seventy in alle defined atte ference. was appointed to assist] maximum number of cruisers would the Brith empire, France, al 42 Heise During the whole period japan limiting naval arn of he Aeeement up to 1, the mens igned at Washington on [tthe caller Sic Soul consi
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.
