500.A15a3/1641: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Wilson)
120. With reference to your 146 of September 20, 5 p.m., we have had no evidence that the question of the unit size of capital ships has been a decisive factor in hindering agreement between France and Italy. This question has not been emphasized in the subsequent misunderstanding on the Bases of Agreement. Even if safeguarded as you propose, we feel that a declaration to the effect that we are considering the reduction of capital ship size would merely give away our hand before the Conference meets without any advantage to us and a benefit for Great Britain and France in case they desired to hold out against other restrictions.
The following is for your personal information: There has been no modification of our attitude concerning the maintenance of the present capital ship size. Of course all angles of the problem are being carefully studied, but even should we eventually decide that we might accept a lower unit size, much education in the Navy and among [Page 432] the public would still have to be done. We would be considerably embarrassed by any leak of a possible change in our position from foreign admiralty sources. We are, on the whole, inclined to regard Craigie’s suggestion as a device designed to force us to show our hand before the Conference next year.