G.B. No. 438-2 (Serial No. 1521-LL:1) (6) Favors full exchange of information concerning expenditures, personnel and material. (13) III. QUALITATIVE REDUCTION. (By this is meant the abolition of certain weapons or methods of warfare or the further reduction of the limiting characteristics of vessels of the several categories._ A. Vessels of the Navy. The Department- (1) Is opposed to the abolition of battleships. (51) (2) Is opposed to the discussion of reduction of characteristics of battleships unti the 1935 Conference. (57, 61, 62) (3) Is opposed to the reduction of the permitted size of aircraft carriers but agrees to the reduction of guns on future aircraft carriers to 6.1 inches in caliber, provided there is no restriction of the number of guns. (95, 144) (4) Is opposed to further limitations on the characteristics of cruisers and to restrictions on the flying-deck provisions of the London Treaty. (95) (5) Favors the abolition of submarines, but if not abolished is opposed to the reduction of the permitted characteristics. (94, 144) (6) Is agreeable to the reduction of the unqualifiedly exempt class of combatant vessels from a maximum of 600 tons to a maximum of 100 tons, but is opposed to the reduction in speed or gun caliber of the qualifiedly exempt class (600-2000 tons). (167, 168) B. Aircraft. (1) Is opposed to the abolition of military and naval aircraft. (321) (2) Favors the abolition of bombing if universal is complete. (300, 320) (3) Is opposed to the abolition of "bombardment aviation," due to impractibility of delimiting such a type. (121, 124, 320) (4) Is opposed to the restriction of characteristics of airplanes,- e.g., unladen weight. (250, 301, 319) |