500.A15A5 Construction/167: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 7—11:10 a.m.]
384. Johnson, Captain Willson and Commander Nelson had informal meeting yesterday afternoon with Holman of the Foreign Office, Captain Danckwerts and Commander Bell of the Admiralty. We had previously communicated informally to the Foreign Office the substance of your 191, May 3, 6 p.m. The British referred to this information and expressed their pleasure at our willingness to accept a definite limit for tonnage and to continue within present treaty limits as to calibre of guns. They stated, however, that in their opinion the proposed limit of 45,000 tons, while preferable to no limit, was nevertheless too high. They restated their former arguments as to the danger from the British point of view of other European powers beginning a competition among themselves in building 45,000 ton ships. They admitted that this is improbable except as regards Russia. They fear, however, that Russia might undertake construction of such ships, in which case Germany and other European nations in turn would follow. Notwithstanding our statement that 45,000 tons is the lowest figure that we could accept, the British request that the following be transmitted to our Government for its consideration.
“His Majesty’s Government propose a new upper limit of standard displacement for capital ships of sub-category (a) of 40,000 tons.”
They stated that this proposal was based on the design of a well balanced capital ship carrying nine 16-inch guns and that they were prepared to support this figure with full technical details. They again mentioned the desirability of our having technical officers from Washington familiar with the latest design studies to discuss this question with them. Captain Willson answered that for the purposes of the immediate discussion he was prepared to agree that 40,000 tons was sufficient for a well balanced design carrying nine 16-inch guns and that in his opinion there was no necessity for delaying technical discussions on that point, particularly if it involved the sending over of technical officers from Washington. Willson suggested that, subject to confirmation, it is reasonable to assume that a 45,000 ton ship would carry twelve 16-inch guns and any arguments to be prepared by the British should concern not the displacement required for the 9-gun ship but whether or not the 9-gun ship, as compared with the 12-gun ship, was adequate to meet the position in which the United States finds itself as regards the international naval situation.
The meeting concluded with some discussion as to the relative merits of 9-gun and 12-gun design in which it was apparent the British are [Page 913] merely maintaining their traditional position in favor of the smaller ship.
Holman said that they would inform the French of this meeting and likewise the other powers with whom they have naval treaties. Johnson told Holman after the meeting that he had no reason to believe that any reduction in the figure of 45,000 tons would be agreed to by our Government but that we would be glad to submit the British proposal for 40,000 tons.
We gather that the Admiralty is preparing an informal memorandum for us in support of their figures and it is understood that another meeting can be held upon the receipt of further indication of our Government’s views.