§ 45. Mr. MANDERasked the Prime Minister whether he is yet able to give any information regarding the British proposals for a permitted increase in the strength of the British naval forces in certain contingencies?
§ Mr. BALDWINI have nothing to add to the statements which I made on this matter on the 27th June in reply to a question by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. MANDERIn view of statements which have appeared, that the number of cruisers may be increased to 70 in 1746 certain contingencies, will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance to the House that we shall not be committed in the matter until discussion has taken place here?
§ Mr. BALDWINPerhaps it may be convenient if I enlarge upon what I said in reply to a supplementary question the other day. World conditions are in many ways more difficult than they were at the time of the London Conference, and therefore it is more than ever necessary that a most careful survey of the ground should be made before the Conference meets, because the very deterioration of certain conditions in the world makes it the more necessary, in the view of the Government, that the Conference should meet and that the Conference should achieve some end. Discussions are taking place and will take place between some of the participating nations, and the sole object of these discussions is so to explore the ground that it may be possible for the Conference to meet and, when it meets, to have a successful issue. Any widespread or premature public discussion of definite proposals put forward in a numerical way, may very easily, as those who have had previous experience of these Conferences know only too well, create such prejudice in some countries—it may be this, or it may be another—that it will entirely defeat the object which all the members of the Conference at present have, and that is to get together and to do some good work.