7 JANUARY 1928, Page 6

It is satisfactory that Mr. Kellogg, the American Secretary of

State, has formally denied the ridiculous rumour that the British Navy has raised the elevation of guns contrary to the Washington agreement. The rumour, of course, had no foundation whatever. It was convenient to the Big Navy party in the United States, and the denials from Great Britain were unable to check it. It died down at the time of the Geneva Conference, only to become more vigorous than ever when the Conference failed. We often hoped that the State Department -would not stand on a punctilio and remain silent on the ground that a Press campaign did not amount to an " international question."

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