500.A15 a 1/412a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson)
41. Article by Wythe Williams printed in today’s New York Times was made subject of protest to the Department by the British Ambassador. He particularly took exception to the following:58
“On the eve of what may turn out to be the break-up of the Conference, the American experts have planned a ‘countersurprise’ which, if launched, is likely to produce a tremendous sensation.”
The article went on to say that if British bring up question of capital ships58
“the searchlight of publicity will be trained on the mass of documents, lists and figures now in possession of the Intelligence Depart[ment] of the United States Navy tending to prove that the British Navy is actually overtonned in battleships on the basis of the 5–5 ratio established between the British and American fleets by the Washington treaty, and that it has, in fact, shot up to a 6–5 ratio or even higher.”
Williams then continued to discuss tonnage of the different ships with obvious intention of proving that terms of Washington treaty have not been kept by British.
Sir Esme Howard said it seemed clear that someone in American delegation had been giving out alleged facts and that such an article could only result in causing intense feeling in Great Britain to degree that might break up Conference.
Howard was informed that undoubtedly writer of the article had knowledge of naval matters which he interpreted as he pleased, and that it was most improbable that anyone in the American delegation, in face of repeated statements by officials of the Government of the United States that all nations concerned had loyally fulfilled terms of the treaty of Washington, would have made any of the alleged assertions.
Howard added that majority of articles published under Williams’ signature were, in his opinion, provocative and many times written for purpose of disrupting Conference.
The Ambassador was informed that statement of his protest would be cabled you.