El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-12-11

| Is Danger OF QuSC, covering OF cheese
cloth can be put over the waists
Harper's Bazaar.
JAPAN'S NEW SHIPS.
Nearly Forty Great DestrOyers Now OF
the Stocks for the MikadO.
A Washington dispatch says: Japar
is furnishing an object lesson in the
building up of navy that is as re-
markabie as the sensational display OF
newborn energy and resourcefuInesi
of the Mikado's empire 10 the recen'
| war with China.
Primarily, however, the island ma
| ton is causing DO end of concern to
the countries having important in.
terests in the Pacific Ocean, principal
among which are the United States
Russia, England and Spain. She has
stolen a march a nd secured an advant-
age over them that not one of them,
not even emitting England, the great
ct naval power of the world, will find
easyt to overcome.
Japan's navy was no incousiderable
affair before tie war with China. 1t
received many hard knocks in the war,
however, and when peace was al
| length concluded it wss in much bat
tered state. The wid-awake government
lost no time in setting to wo to re.
claim such of the war ships as admit
ted of beiog repeire1. Credits were
also voted for new vessels, but the
world generally thought that these
propos ed vessels were merely to sup
plant those that W. re no longer first
class because of damages that had been
done them by the Chinese guns.
It now develops that the mikado' q
plans were considerably more ambi-
tious and far reaching than this. Iu
laying them, Japan was actuated not
only by desire and inter tioa to keep
ahead of her traditional enemy of the
Celestial Kingdom, but to establish
her supremacy over the orient as well
as over the eastern nations that have
from time to time been. securing
an ever increasing fOothold in the
Pacific.
Thisis evident from the dissatisfac-
tion that has grown out of the Simono-
seki treaty, the terms aud general
spirit Of which the Japanese have come
to consider as incompatible with their
rights and derogatory to their dignity
as an Independent nation. Moreover,
the Japanese press hes let the cat out
of the bag in their applause of the min
building up an immense navy. If
Japan had not had to yield to pressure
and sign the Simonoseki treaty she
would not have had to content herself
with the acquisition of Formosa only.
She would hAYe incr easel her territorial
extent q great deal more at Chfna's ex-
pense.
With Hawaii clamoring for annexa-
ton to the United States, to Japan's
il,-concesled displeasure, and the
Philippine Islands in reb .llion against
Sna and id IN ho oil he
aid from Japan that Cuba is getting
from the United States, the Dons feel
that Japan needs particular watching
from them. Russia, England and
France are not so directly concerned
st the pre- sent stage. but it is quite as
much to their interest to guard against
the Asiatic powers ambitious machi-
nations.
In spite of these facts and here is
thing-these very Datfons are the Jones
chat are helping Japan to cut thei r
own thrOats, so to speak, for it is in
their shipyards that the new ships
that are I'd make Japan's navy the most
pOwe rful in the Pacific are now being
built They are about forty in num-
Der and comprise almost everything
in the line of raval architecture from
saucy little torpedo boats up to the
SiCol0SU VI utdUloS lOrtreSSeS. ocIc
Is the list of them and the places
where they are being run to compile
ton:
Three battleships of IA, 800 tons each
in the Armstrong, Thomson and
Thames Iron Works, of England.
One battleship of 5000 tons, also in
the Armstrong works.
Four armored cruisers of 1900 tons
and guaranteed speed of 10 knots
each; two in the Armstrong works, one
in the Vulcan works, in S:tetin, Ger
many, and the other in Fo ges ct
Chantiers, France.
Two protected cruisers of 5000 tons
and guaranteed speed of % knots
each-one in the Union Iron works, of
San Francisco, and the other in the
Cramps yards, at Chests r, Pa.
Ooe projected cruiser of 1900 tons
and a guaranteed speed of % knots, in
the Armstrong works, England.
Four torpedo boat destroyers of a
guar anteed speed of 80 knots, in the
YarrOw works, England.
Four of the same speed in the Arm.
strong work England.
Eight torpedo boats of 30 tons each
in the Schichau works, of Ebliny, Ger
many.
Four Of the same dimensions in the
Normand works, of France.
Three protected cruisers of 5000 tons |
esch and a guaranteed speed of 20 |
Knots each; three torpedo gunboats
Ind one dispatch boat. In tn" govern
nent arsenal, at Yokosuka, Japan.
Every ore Of these ships will be
uished and delivered to Japan within
iveryssrs. BY 1903 at latest, therefore,
japan will have the most pow erful
lavV in the Pa cifjC Ocean