The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-17
urM.0F.WAR FOR THE MlKADo.
n,xs NAVY SOON TO BE THE
- - pEsT IN THE PACIFIC.

IL, New Vessels for 1t TO BE
OIe ,od Mt Cramps Shipyard
/" Ia,-The Vessel the Most Inn
aortant one Ever Built in This
PO+v for Foreign Govern
imam Expected to Rank
~, Fourth Among the Naval
rs of the world by the Time
nor completion.
-1.,.7a,nhfa, Pa, Jan. 1.-THE launch
- tbe japanese warship Kasagi
ns bstng built at Cramps shipyard,
FI N ,.te place on Thursday at noon. The
wa ia the most important ship ever
Aasr the United States for foreign ac-
Du' and is the first foreign ship
- he'd in this country since the Zobi-
oopss1uence of requests for infor-
...,, that are coming to him from all
~. tba country, Charles H, Cramp, the
'..,5sr of the ship, to-day gave the fol-
. D-..T interview to the Associated Press:
Dr,o Kasagi is a protected twin-screw
r.;..r ar a commerce destroyer of the
1,,sst and most approved type and design
in her class"
osbe is built throughout with steel of the
Tinted States navy class. Her model is
oortter primarily for high speed, the con-
+r,ct guaranteeing 221a knots. She is pro-
,5ad with two four-cylinder vertical in
verted direct acting triple-expansion en-
ooss driving twin screws. The steam is
s,nnIied by twelve single ended cylindrical
bo.lers. provided with st. John CRATE and
hearer bar and the machinery contem-
mates an indicated horsepower of about
1909
The Kasagi is one among a large num-
Der Of large ships of various types and
classes entered in the new naval pro-
gramme of Japan. A sister ship TO her is
building on the Pacific coast, and others
Of various classes up to 14SoO-ton battle
ships in England France, Germany or in
Japan's own dockyard at Yokosuka.
1T is worth while to call attention to
the fact that she is a representative of the
most marvellous and formidable naval de-
yelopment of this age; a development that
is rapidly going to the front rank among
the civilized naval powers; a nation, the
ports of which were first opened to COM
merce through the fundamentally of an
American naval expedition, clearly within
the memory of men not yet past middle
age From this point of view alone her
launching is an event worth remembering
in the history of American shipbuilding,
Of vrrbS ah
an important factor, shall be completed.
an event not more than two years off at
the farthest, Japan will rank as the fore
most naval power in the Pacific ocean, and,
generally speaking, nearly, if not quite.
third in rank among the naval powers of
the world She will certainly outrank in
the all-arOund sense all but England.
France and Russia; and so far as the Pa
cilc ocean is concerned, will be far supe-
ror to all except perhaps, England, and it
is doubtful if even England could. with
due regard to her requirements in her own
waters or in the Mediterranean. and the
defense OF her commerce, spare naval
force enough for concentration in the Pa
enc to equal in that ocean the Japanese
/ fleet OF which the Kasagi is a factor.
The superiority is due, not so much TO
The number of vessels that the Japanese
4
4 the kasagi, they are of carefully selected
/ types, of perfectly elaborated design and
wisely constructed with all the modern
improvements and of the highest attained
proficiency.
The men who operate the material of
tnls force have demonstrated by their be-
aa'lor IN the late war; and as evidenced
oy the professional skill and ability they
uSpay IN the work of supervising yes
@s under construction, that they have no
Cuas to ask in that respect of the naval
force of any power.
IN, III snort, the whole naval policy of
Japan as represented to Americans nv
me OBJECT lesson of the Kasagi Is one
Nnich nations far older in the arts of
late w "eAl ~ eiii
allure to emulate or keep up with 1t
NJ %as, IN me not distant days, bring some
=" Uem TO humiliation and defeat