OCR Text |
Show Is Japan Fleet Bigger Than Ours? The general idea in the United Stales is that the American fleet is much larger than that of Japan, Jap-an, Our peoeple know that a 5 to j ratio was accepted by the two nations in a treat, designed to prevent a naval building race. Since 1937, however, the .treaty has been dead and there are reports re-ports that the Japanese have stolen a march on the United Stales in the building of larger and more powerful capital ships. Since the abrogation of the naval treaty, Japanese naval construction construc-tion has been a closely guarded secret buut last week there was information in Washington that the Japanese have about completed complet-ed three, and possibly four, dreadnoughts dread-noughts of 40,000 to 45,000 tons. This surprise reminds us that the United States, with eight new L-attleships, authorized, has only iwo in advanced stages of construction. con-struction. Four other 35,000-ton ships are underway but the two 45,000-ton giants have yet to have their keels laid. On paper ih.s country has eight battleships on the way but on the ocean, it seems, the Japanese ships will get i here first. The idea that Japan is badly outclassed by the United States in naval strength is based very largely upon the belief that this country has 14 battleships to 9 for Japan. If Japan has three, or four, new dreadnoughts, each bigger than any of ours, the superiority is the other way. The advantage will be with Japan, apparently, for some very critical years. The first of our new ships will not 'be ready before 1941. In aircraft carriers the edge is with the Japs, 6 to 5; in destroyers destroy-ers it is 84 to 67 and in submarines sub-marines 35 to 30. In cruisers, alone, the United States has a leaed. We have 18 heavy cruisers lo 12 for Japan and 17 light cruisers to 15. While figures relating re-lating to airplanes are not available, avail-able, the supposition is that this country is far ahead of the Japanese Jap-anese in aerial strength. IN aval authorities says the New York Times, say that never cefore has a nation been able so .ompletly to hide its construction adivities as have the Japanese . nee 1933. Writing to his news-aper, news-aper, L. C. Speers calls attention :o the claim of a Japanese news-aper news-aper writer, in close touch with he. admiralty, who asserted that, measured in terms of new construct, con-struct, on, the strength of the Japanese Jap-anese and American navies "is x'ive to four in favor of Japan." |