Lord Lee, at the Washington Conference on Thursday, December 22nd,
explained the British proposal for the abolition of submarines. He said that the tonnage of existing American submarines was 83,540, of British submarines 80,C00, of Japanese 32,000, of French 28,360, and of Italian 18,250. The American proposal to allow 90,000 tons to America and Great Britain and 54,000 to Japan, with proportionate amounts for France and Italy, would encourage all these countries to increase, instead of diminishing, their submarine flotillas. Lord Leo denied that the submarine was the legitimate weapon of weak nations or a means of coast defence. Against modern warships its value was " almost contemptible." It was only effective against merchantmen, as we knew to our cost. Though it might be true that we were most exposed to the submarine menace, with our long coast lines and trade routes and with our dependence on overseas foodstuffs, it was also true, said Lord Lee, that the British Navy had saved the Allies from defeat.
