The Sunday Star (April 28, 1946)
Big 4 leaves Italy basic fleet and divides rest of her ships
Yugoslav and Greek claims allowed; Russia reduces demands for vessels
PARIS, April 27 (AP) – The Foreign Ministers’ Conference agreed tonight to leave Italy a basic fleet and to divide the remainder among the four major powers after satisfying claims of Yugoslavia and Greece for warships, authoritative reports said.
The ministers of the United States, Britain, France and Russia reached an accord on broad general proportions of the division in a three-hour meeting in which Russia retreated from a previous demand for a third of the fleet, these reports said.
Precise details were not settled at the meeting, the third thus far in the historic conference and said to have been the most cheerful to date.
Part of the session was given over to a discussion on the French Italian frontier modifications, but no agreement was reached on any of the proposals. The troublesome Trieste and Italian colonial questions had been sidestepped.
Coupled with the announcement in Rome that Russia had not only acceded to the United States proposals for relaxing Italian armistice terms, but had proposed even further modifications, the Soviet action augured well for future dealings on the Italian problem.
There was no clear picture here of the present strength of the Italian Navy, and a four-man committee of experts was appointed to determine its composition and allocation.
The greater part of the Italian fleet came under Allied control after the Italian surrender in September 1943, while the battle for Italy itself continued. The Italian fleet which made its way to Allied ports included six battleships, eight cruisers, one seaplane carrier, between 40 and 45 destroyers and torpedo boats, between 30 and 40 submarines, and approximately 80 auxiliary vessels. Other ships under German control in Northern Italian waters were recovered subsequently.
Tacit agreement with Russia
The Russians were said to be willing to permit Italy to have a navy with possibly four cruisers of the heaviest category. The reduction in their demands apparently was in return for a tacit agreement to forget about ships that the United States and Britain gave Russia in anticipation of dividing up the fleet.
It was agreed that all but a few Italian submarines would be sunk, with the remainder to be kept for experimental purposes. British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin was said to have insisted on having the submarines sunk.
Ruhr discussion delayed
A claim of Brazil for one Italian warship to replace a Brazilian ship sunk by an Italian submarine was considered briefly, it was reported. The matter will probably be referred to the committee on experts.
Mr. Bevin asked that Greece be given a cruiser to replace one sunk before the war. and it was indicated that the experts would agree.
There was no discussion at the third session on France’s proposals to add internationalization to the Ruhr and detachment of Rhineland from Germany to the conference agenda, reliable reports said.
Mr. Bevin was reported to have thrown a snag into discussions of the Ruhr by insisting that Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg representatives be permitted to sit in on such negotiations as spokesmen, for nations which suffered heavily through German aggression.
The Russians, contrary to earlier reports, were not objecting to addition of the Ruhr to the agenda, but were opposed to expanding the scope of discussions beyond representatives of the United States, Britain, France and Russia, informants said.
The report from a four-power commission of inquiry on the Trieste and Yugoslav boundary issues was not ready for submission and British delegates reportedly asked that colonial questions be deferred until Mr. Bevin can confer with dominions officials.
Mr. Bevin was to fly to London tomorrow for a cabinet meeting Monday morning and important conferences with South African, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand officials. South Africa is vitally concerned in any question involving Italian colonies.