500.A15 a 1/446: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson)
[Paraphrase]
Washington, July 19,
1927—4 p.m.
55. Your No. 106, July 18, 11 p.m. After discussion of matter with the Secretary of the Navy and with the naval experts, our opinion is outlined as follows:
- 1.
- We must adhere to 5–5–3 ratio as qualified by your suggestions in regard to slight concessions should exact ratio be impractical;
- 2 and 3.
- After reaching agreement on total cruiser tonnage, we must retain right to construct number and type of cruisers up to 10,000 tons together with liberty to arm such cruisers up to 8-inch guns, within total tonnage agreed upon, or as with new construction our needs may require;
- 4.
- We do not understand Japanese delegation’s suggestion set forth in your No. 105, July 18, 3 p.m. Please cable explanations and additional figures. We fail to see how the 25 percent of the total tonnage of old vessels would make it possible for us to use destroyer [Page 117] tonnage until we should have built up in cruiser tonnage. We should have to scrap these, apparently, and would be unable to build any more. We do not understand, moreover, why the British proposition has it that we build only twelve 10,000-ton cruisers when the British themselves have larger number if their 9,750-ton cruisers are included.
- 5.
- We do not believe that the British actually intend to limit tonnage of cruisers to extent which will be satisfactory, but have in mind to break up Conference on matter of size of guns and cruisers. It is our belief that British should first agree on total cruiser tonnage not to exceed our 400,000 tons.
Kellogg