500.A15A5/747
The Under Secretary of State (Phillips) to the Secretary of the Navy (Swanson)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: On March 25, 1936, at London, the Honorable Norman H. Davis, Head of the American Delegation, and the Eight Honorable Anthony Eden, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Great Britain, exchanged communications regarding the maintenance of parity between the navies of the United States and the British Commonwealth.
[Page 99]In order that the records between our two Departments may be kept clear, I am transmitting to you the following texts of the American communication and the British reply thereto, as transmitted to the Department of State on March 24, 1936, by Mr. Norman Davis over the telephone:
“My Dear Foreign Secretary:
On the eve of completion of the work of the naval conference and our departure from London I desire to express in behalf of the entire American Delegation our appreciation of the many courtesies extended to us during our stay here.
“I also want to record our appreciation of the patience and the untiring efforts of the United Kingdom Delegation and their contribution to the success of the conference in reaching the various agreements which have been incorporated in the treaty we are about to sign.
“There is one thing further I should like to mention.
“In view of the fact that the new treaty does not provide for continuance of quantitative limitation as established by the Washington and London treaties, which expire at the end of this year, Admiral Standley and I had, as you will recall, some discussion with the United Kingdom Delegation during the course of the conference with regard to maintaining the principle of naval parity as between the fleets of the members of the British Commonwealth and the United States which was fixed by those treaties and which now have become a well established principle acceptable to the peoples as well as the governments of our respective countries.
“As a result of the conversations on this subject it is our understanding that we are in agreement that there shall be no competitive naval building as between ourselves and that the principle of parity as between the fleets of members of the British Commonwealth and the United States shall continue unchanged.”
“Honorable Norman Davis, Chairman
American Delegation:
“The First Lord and I very much appreciate the kind references which you make in your letter of March 23 to the efforts of the United Kingdom Delegation to bring about naval agreement.
“I can assure you that the friendly relations which prevail between the United States and the United Kingdom Delegations have been a source of pleasure to all of us and we are greatly indebted to yourself, Admiral Standley and the other members of your Delegation for the wholehearted co-operation throughout the difficult period of negotiation which now lies behind us.
“I am glad to be able to confirm the correctness of your understanding with regard to the maintenance of the principle of parity. We are in full agreement that there must be no competitive building between our two countries and that neither country should question the right of the other to maintain parity in any category of ship.
“I can, indeed, go further than this and say that in estimating our naval requirements we have never taken the strength of the United States Navy into account.”
Sincerely yours,