This newspaper was published by the Dutch political party Sociaal-Democratische Arbeiderspartij (SDAP) protecting the interests of the ordinary man. An item reported that the secretary general of the League of Nations invited the cabinets of Argentina, Norway, Denmark, Greece, Russia, Turkey and the Netherlands to join a conference to be held on 21 January at Geneva. This conference was to discuss the possibilities to extend the Naval treaty of Washington(1) with countries which did not signed that treaty.(2) The named countries were at that moment the only ones possessing so-called capital ships and of which the armament was not determined by treaty.(….) The secretary general proposed that the representatives of these countries together with a sub commission of the permanent commission of advice of the League consisting of representatives from Brazil, Spain, France, England, Italy, Japan and Sweden a concept treaty would edited acceptable from a naval point of view. An international conference for which all countries were to be invited despite having perhaps none navy would follow later.(3)
Notes
1. The Washington Naval Treaty was signed by the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Italy and France on 6 February 1922 as a result of the Washington Naval Conference of November 1921-February 1922. The London Naval Treaty of 1930 modified the Washington treaty and was followed by the Second Naval treaty four years later. The Washington Naval Treaty was to limit the total tonnage of the total ships, a maximum tonnage of a battleship (no more as 35,560 tons) and a maximum calibre of 16” or 40,6cm guns. These Naval Treaties influenced the naval strengths and strategies of the countries which were involved in the Second World war seriously. Japan stated officially on 29 December 1934 not longer to accept the terms of the treaty which became effective in 1936.
2. Despite having the battleship Almirante Latorre (the former HMS Canada) with a displacement of 25,000 long tons and a main armament of 10-14” guns was Chile not mentioned in this item. The Netherlands owned at that moment just a few aged coastal defence battleships and some protected cruiser among which the notorious De Zeven Provinciën. The two light cruisers Java and Sumatra were still not completed.
3. The Geneva Naval Conference held between 20 June and 4 August 1927 was intended to extend the naval limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty further more, namely also for cruisers, destroyers or submarines. The American president Calvin Coolidge invited England, Japan, France and Italy for a conference but the latter two countries refused. In fact the conference was a failure. The points of view of the USA and England were contrary with England needing a large cruiser force to keep open and protect the sea lanes within her empire. Japan demanded to be allowed to have at least 70% of the American cruiser force.
The Dutch Hr.Ms. Hertog Hendrik one of our 'capital ships'
Notes
1. The Washington Naval Treaty was signed by the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Italy and France on 6 February 1922 as a result of the Washington Naval Conference of November 1921-February 1922. The London Naval Treaty of 1930 modified the Washington treaty and was followed by the Second Naval treaty four years later. The Washington Naval Treaty was to limit the total tonnage of the total ships, a maximum tonnage of a battleship (no more as 35,560 tons) and a maximum calibre of 16” or 40,6cm guns. These Naval Treaties influenced the naval strengths and strategies of the countries which were involved in the Second World war seriously. Japan stated officially on 29 December 1934 not longer to accept the terms of the treaty which became effective in 1936.
2. Despite having the battleship Almirante Latorre (the former HMS Canada) with a displacement of 25,000 long tons and a main armament of 10-14” guns was Chile not mentioned in this item. The Netherlands owned at that moment just a few aged coastal defence battleships and some protected cruiser among which the notorious De Zeven Provinciën. The two light cruisers Java and Sumatra were still not completed.
3. The Geneva Naval Conference held between 20 June and 4 August 1927 was intended to extend the naval limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty further more, namely also for cruisers, destroyers or submarines. The American president Calvin Coolidge invited England, Japan, France and Italy for a conference but the latter two countries refused. In fact the conference was a failure. The points of view of the USA and England were contrary with England needing a large cruiser force to keep open and protect the sea lanes within her empire. Japan demanded to be allowed to have at least 70% of the American cruiser force.
