Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, Japan, 1931–1941, Volume I

500.A15A5/809

The Acting Secretary of the Navy (Standley) to the Secretary of State

A14–7(3)/EM–
London (360725)

Washington, 25 July, 1936.

Sir: Informal advices received from your Department have indicated that the Japanese government will not adhere to the Naval Treaty signed in London on March 25, 1936, by the representatives of the United States, the French Republic and the British Commonwealth of Nations.³⁵

In this connection it would be of great advantage to the Navy Department to know definitely whether the Japanese government has signified its intention in regard to entering into an agreement to conform to the provision of Part II, Article IV (2) of the Treaty, which would limit to 14 inches in caliber the guns of any capital ship to be constructed or acquired by any high contracting party.

It is requested that the information referred to in the preceding paragraph be furnished to the Navy Department as early as it may conveniently be obtained.

Respectfully,

W. H. Standley

35. Department of State Treaty Series No. 919.