Office of the Historian

500.A15a3/407: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes)

Washington, November 18, 1929—4 p.m.

299. In reply to the following questions handed to me by the French Naval Attaché on Friday, an aide-mémoire was handed him this morning.

  • “1. Are the categories of the modified French formula to be adhered to at the London Conference? Or shall we understand that the number of these categories is to be five instead of four?
  • 2. Is a certain percentage of transfer between these categories to be considered?
  • 3. What is the tentative Anglo-American agreement on the following points.:
    a)
    Battleships. Abolition by age limit?
    b)
    Aircraft carriers.
    c)
    Cruisers. Is there a definite agreement reached for the total tonnage of this class, and for the proportion between 10,000 and smaller cruisers?
    d)
    Destroyers.
    e)
    Submarines.”
[Page 282]

The aide-mémoire reads as follows:

“November 15, 1929. Answer to points raised in French Memorandum.

1.
It is presumed that by the words “modified formula”, the French Embassy refers to the proposal presented at the 26th Meeting of the Third Session of the Preparatory Commission, the 11th of April, 1927, by Mr. Paul Boncour. This proposal was subsequently modified in informal conversations in Paris between Vice Admiral Kelly and M. Saluan, Chief of Staff of the French Marine, and in similar conversations between Commander Sable, French Naval Attaché in Washington, and Admirals Jones and Long, of the General Board, United States Navy. The conversations in Paris and Washington covered five categories, namely, capital ships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, 10,000 to 1,850 tons, destroyers, 1,850 to 600 tons, and submarines. The recent tentative discussions between Great Britain and the United States have dealt similarly with five categories, namely, battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and submarines.
2.
While the question of percentage of transfer between categories has not been considered in the discussions between Great Britain and the United States, this country will look sympathetically on the raising of this question at the forthcoming conference, in the hope that it will aid France and Italy in the solution of their respective problems, due to their special needs.
3.
There has been no definite agreement between Great Britain and the United States on any of the points mentioned. Certain matters have been discussed and tentative understandings arrived at as follows:
(a)
Battleships. The general principle of reduction of the battleship fleet has been agreed upon, but the question of method will be left entirely to the forthcoming conference.
(b)
Aircraft Carriers. The question has not been discussed and will be left entirely to the forthcoming conference.
(c)
Cruisers. A comparison of the cruiser fleets of the two Powers resulted in placing the tentative figure of 339,000 tons for Great Britain and 315,000 tons for the United States as the figures which best suited the relative needs of the two Powers. There is no agreement on a proportion between the number of 10,000-ton and the number of smaller cruisers, and the question of numbers of such units is still to be agreed-upon, the United States desiring 21 and Great Britain, 15 such cruisers.
(d)
Destroyers. No figure has been agreed upon, this question being left open to the conference. It is the desire of both Powers to reduce, however, and a figure below 200,000 tons might be expected to be satisfactory.
(e)
Submarines. Both nations have expressed their willingness to abolish the submarine in case all other countries would do the same. It is the desire of both countries likewise to reduce the tonnage of this type if it is maintained, but no definite figures have been set, the whole question being left to the conference.”

[Page 283]

You may communicate a copy of the questions and the aide-mémoire to the Prime Minister for his information.

Mail copies to Paris.

Stimson