500.A15a3/86: Telegram
The Ambassadors in Great Britain and Belgium (Dawes and Gibson) to the Secretary of State
209. Your clear telegram proved of great advantage as a basis for the conference which proceeded with expedition this afternoon along the following lines:
In an informal memorandum we laid before the Prime Minister and the First Lord of the Admiralty the views contained in your telegram No. 192 of July 26.
On the headings 1 to 7 in Point 1, the Prime Minister and the First Lord of the Admiralty expressed entire and unhesitating agreement. Both of them also agreed to headings (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), of Point 2, but they wished heading (e) to be revised to read thus: “If the principles of paragraph (b), (c), and (d) can be adopted we have resolved technical questions into the application of the yardstick to the category of cruisers.” In the following sentence strike out the words “over the determination of these two factors”. They agreed to point (f) revised to read as follows: “Both Governments are of course anxious to arrive at a situation which will allow them to reduce their authorized cruiser program. Study will be devoted to this subject.” As we were in ignorance of the facts upon which it was based, the remainder of the paragraph was deleted in the memorandum as not essential. In regard to points (g), (h), and (i), full agreement was expressed.
Mr. MacDonald, with the full agreement of the First Lord of the Admiralty, then stated that he felt that a minimum of 45 six-inch-gun cruisers is essential, due to the need for numbers of small vessels on distant stations and for long lines of communication and this made it difficult to comply with the idea of not replacing small cruisers which would become obsolete by 1936 under the twenty year age limit.
The following memorandum embodying his views as to how parity [Page 165] might be achieved in the cruiser class was then written by Mr. MacDonald. He emphasized the fact that this was an entirely personal and tentative proposal which he would submit tonight to his Admiralty and upon which he would be glad to have your views:
“General agreement as to cruisers:
- 1.
- The British Government would be satisfied with a large cruiser strength of 15 and would agree to the American Government building up to 18.
- 2.
- The British Government would ask for an equivalent (to be measured by the yardstick) in six-inch cruisers so that their total in that class should be 45.
- 3.
- As regards the Hawkins (or Effingham) group of 4 cruisers, an agreement will be come to that for the purposes of classification they shall, during their lifetime, be counted amongst the six-inch class and then replaced by ordinary six-inch ships. Consideration will be given to having this equation completed by 1936.
- 4.
- In order to arrive at parity the United States may construct up to 10 six-inch-gun ships”.
Mr. MacDonald made it clear that in the above memorandum it was his idea that the equivalent of the 45 six-inch-gun British cruisers would be constituted by 10 additional American six-inch-gun cruisers, to be constructed should we desire them, the 3 additional American 10,000 ton cruisers and our 10 Omaha type cruisers.
Also the Prime Minister kept in mind, it seems evident, the possible intentions of other naval powers in laying down this minimum need for 45 six-inch-gun cruisers. Mr. MacDonald stated that he would submit his proposals to the First Sea Lord tonight and that if any material modifications were suggested he would communicate them to me before his departure for Scotland on his vacation.
The best possible spirit on the part of the British was exhibited in the conduct of the conference. Save reserving the question of replacements of small cruisers, no objection was made by them to the suggestion of abandoning all future new cruiser construction. Our readiness to support the movement for the suppression of submarines and our readiness to defer replacements of capital ships until 1936, when they agreed that an excellent opportunity would be afforded to make renewed efforts for more definite reduction, met with particular gratification on their part.
We wish also to call attention to the fact that the suggestion of our having preponderance in 10,000–ton cruisers came spontaneously from them, as did the suggestion that we be authorized, should we so desire, to build 10 additional six-inch-gun cruisers.
That reduction in all classes of ships was one of the ideas uppermost in the President’s mind, we did not fail to point out and for that [Page 166] reason we urged that they give consideration as to how far they could go in refraining from replacing, as they became obsolete, six-inch-gun cruisers.
- Telegram in two sections.↩