500.A15a3/728: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Castle) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received March 3—7:52 a.m.]
35. Repeat to London.52
Telegram dated London, March 2, to the Tokyo Nichi Nichi:
“According to information gathered in various quarters, the Reed-Matsudaira conversations cover a discussion of the building of large cruisers after 1936. If the United States should increase its fleet to 18 after 1936, the United States would apparently be prepared to allow Japan to build one more large cruiser. It is believed that the United States proposes that until 1936 she should have 16 such cruisers. It is also receiving attention [that] the United States has proposed that with regard to submarines the United States should retain 60,000 tons and Japan about 50,000 tons.”
Telegram dated March 1 from Dentsu Press Agency:
“The following is one of the important features of the proposal submitted by Mr. Reed to Mr. Matsudaira during the meetings which have been held since the 27th ultimo between these two delegates:
‘Assuming that the United States were prepared to reduce the number of its 10,000 ton 8-inch cruisers and built instead a certain number of 9,000 ton cruisers armed with 6-inch guns, would Japan be satisfied with its present strength in 8-inch cruisers?’
It cannot be determined whether or not the foregoing is a definitive proposal; but the American naval authorities have been conducting investigations into the efficiency of 6-inch guns and are of the opinion that cruisers mounted with guns of this caliber could be profitably employed; in the light of which fact it is highly probable the report of Mr. Reed having made the foregoing proposal is correct,”
For my confidential information I should be glad to know something of the nature of Reed’s tentative proposals.
- Transmitted to the American delegation as Department’s telegram No. 163, March 3, 9 a.m.↩