Salt Lake Telegram | 1925-05-12 | Page 12 | Japan's Naval Ability

j JAPANS JAPAN'S NAVAL ABILITY 11 1 By CHARLES P. P STEWART N NEA EA Service Writer W WASHINGTON May 11 Mill MIli Mill Mill- w ho abound here are all J excited over reports that Japans Japan's reply to the United States' States Hawaiian Hawaiian Hawaiian Ha Ha- naval maneuvers Is to be a aset aset aset set of maneuvers of her own to show how easily she could be beat t tsuch such a fleet as this country's of country's of course courso in Far Eastern waters fe feIt It isn't likely the Japanese thins thin they could defeat America anywhere anywhere any any- anY I where In the vicinity of ot the Jatter's latter's latter's lat lat- ter's home shores Possibly they dont don't think they can defeat her at all That Idea may be merely a complex some people have got The expected Japanese maneuvers maneuvers maneu maneu- vers vera are said to be scheduled for or orMay May 27 This makes the WashIngton Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington militarists militarists' complex worse May lay 27 Is the anniversary of the battle of in which Japans Japan's Japans Japan's Japans Ja Ja- Ja- Ja pans pan's fleet destroyed Russia's Just twenty venty years agoAn agoAn agoAn ago An apt reminder say the tho militarists militarists mili mill of ot the great sea fighters the Japanese are and how necessary necessary necessary sary it is to be ready for them With all due for Japans Japan's courage and not disputing she can lick any fleet in the state of ot disrepair disrepair disrepair dis dis- dis- dis repair Russia's was in the truth is that the Japanese are arc known men as p poor or shipbuilders shipbuilders ship ship- builders bad sailors and perfectly Impossible hands In an engine room The classic example of Japans Japan's shipbuilding is that of one of her bet crack ton passenger liners well vell known on the Pacific and still in service with service with the Lord only knows what weight of ot concrete and pig iron in her hold to keep her keel underneath her This crafts craft's sister ship which preceded her was built in England Her Japanese owners tried her out satisfactorily Then they told the En English builders they wanted an- an Y other boat but would like to examine examine examine ex ex- ex- ex amine the plans first with a view to possible modifications The builders suspecting the Japanese of intending to do their own building from the English plans made certain subtle changes before handing them over Sure enough the new vessel was wasa a Japanese product Launching day arrived The ship slid down th ways hit the water and instantly in instantly instantly in- in turned bottom side up Later she Vas as Induced to assume assume assume as as- as- as sume a a. a more dignified attitude but it took tool English experts to persuade per per- su suade sude de her to do dolt it N Almost all foreign airplane Instructors In Instructors Instructors In- In who have tried to train Japanese aviators testify to the impossibility of ot developing them into first class flying men They have courage and ample intelligence to learn all moves to tobe tobe tobe be made but practically without exception they lack the tho instinct of ot gentleness with machinery Cruelly Cruelly Cruel ly treated it misbehaves Japan beat China in 1895 It looked wonderful but now we know there were few civilized countries even countries even ven little ones that ones that couldn't have done It She beat Russia Russia Russia-on on paper paper- paper but but but had to accept accept accept ac ac- ac- ac the tho best terms she could get because In a few more months she herself would have been beaten She took Kiao Klao Chau from the I Germans but the latter were outnumbered outnumbered outnumbered out out- numbered 1000 to ITo 1 I. To To hear the Washington militarists mill mili preaching preparedness you'd think they considered Japan well nigh Invincible But ask them as experts what showing they believe belleva shed she'd mal make e against a first class fighting power and their answer is that nobody knows she knows sho might perform pretty prett creditably or she might crumple at the first Impact