New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
JAPANESE DESTROYERS.
MikadO Constantly Increasing His
Torpedo FIOhILa.

(Frou an occasional correspondents Of Tribune)
Nagasaki. Japan March 15.---While awaiting the
coming OF the Russian naval forces the Japanese
government is rushing the completion and arma-
ment OF the new additions TO her torpedo fleet.
The Japanese realize the Importance Of defeating
the assembling squadrOns OF the enemy's navy,
and say that the result OF the coming engagement
will practically eliminate Continental Europe a
factor in the Far East. leaving Great Britain the
United States and Japan sole masters Of the Pa
cific
They acknowledge that the Russian fleet has
greater weight of metal in its battleships, numbsl
and tonnage alone being considered but say Japan
has condition. experience and nearness TO base il
her favor The factor of personal bravery may be
counted equal. it in the Spanish-Ameri-
can encounters Japan. however. depends h
greater number OF cruisers destrOyers and tOrpeGC
boats to offset the difference in battleships.
is working night and day to complete twenty-five
destroyers building in her home yards. These
little vessels are each of $50 tons displacement. and
calculated to run at not less than twenty-nine
Knots (kat-rD. or 334 miles hour, They are Of a
special Japanese type. called Kuchiku-tei. differ
ing somewhat. it is said. from the ThOTneycrOft
the hand. and the YarrOw on the other.
These boats are being constructed entirely by
Japanese brains and labor with the exception of
the two being constructed at the Osaka Iron Works
under foreign supervision. They will carry fifty
five officers and sailors and about one hundred tons
of coal. an armament Of one 75-milli-
metre 02-pounder) quick firing Elswck gun afs.
ana I'VE 5t-mllllmFe t5-pOunOerJ QUICK 0riuS guns
of the same class forward. This arrangement is
reversed that of the British boats of the
general type which have the heavier gun forward.
The japanese reason that the light guns will do
against hostile torpedo boats whose destroyal is
the first mission of destroyer and the heavier
gun af- viii De uette- used against a superior
enemy when compelled to retreat. The indicated
horsepower of these boats VIII be nearly 60Oo. and
the length uttle 10 feat, with beam of
20 feet and draushJ Of ; To feet. They will
bav tvro Ofe Until he ire
In addition. they will fitted with two lS-inch
torpedo tubes. 2 he Japanese deStTOyers now NUM-
ber twenty-five Duiiing. three just launched and
Gtting ard nineteen at sea N ready Tor service.
total of fortv-seVen
The Kanlil:aze the HaIsushino. the Yayoi the
KisaIaSI the Hibiki. Wakaba and the Hat
suzuki being finished at the YokOsulIs, navy
yard. lUkahania; the Oite and The TUHaSi
the Malzuru navy yard; the YusUre the
Yudachi. the AiKazukt ano the Nowake al the
Sasebo navy yard. and the ushio and the Nruohi
at the hure station. IN aoSisi0u 10 these the
ShiraJsuSu, ,ne aS:ray uk IN, MtSukaze aHd the
ShiIOtaye being buut by the Mitsu Bishi Snip
building jompany. at NagasakI; the AZakazv. s{e
Harukaze. the Sn4gt.re aud the Hatsuharu D., The
Nawa>.,d Docls arr IU,-iaiy. al hoke, and me
-4s,,,suyu ,ne .lay..,a~, ny lhe GsaAl Iron
NscrAs, AT CsaAs Iuey $50 a.. eAFec'eu 8, Z, "a
ne -,r,a-, - ~5u..i suu ,ae -As.,o are OF tae
si.e y te. I'D ~td ~e soN@ 'e''ly l'r sea- Ca mar
seeeL T.. Ge. 5t'jeG ha1, four aols lore ana
a. t.ttsrs mast Tor -stidttlls- tHeJ
az .,lUs H.. ..slfUV on OF the Older
boats.
- oest Oh me oestroye ,.,J, are f,ur ouit in
% .t.. ti. lH.. uf -. ~. dhU W Ouit
o. ir. e. GutSWlCh, ucH. i0uOOu. IN lsJi-
u. lie ia ..flsst u0ttl -A,t-I @.
,f4c %. -.e4 lac the -tUsasIule.
,.3. a,eU ..Cts, >-pIlu-vu TO ,ht--
ty-oae knot Co-' mnesI an hour They were AM
with Gorpedo tubes s,nlIar 10 these now Duldina.
The ihOrneN croft buEts are the ShirakumO tl9OlJ
ard tue Asashio tsi-J They are thirty-knot
boats and OF 30 tous dls.la. enent Their arna-
ment is similar ali respects 10 the YarrOw
type previously menuoncC-
There are also six FhOtuey built destrOyers
launCi sG FROM OF 10 con- tud thlrty
AnotS sveed and n-ieo like the
ticrs. 80 c-sS D. Ma.akunO. the
Z .,uul t-l..i s,guplu and the
3 I-ITI .Nt.~r lWu funnelS
Equal a. tdt Otnt tauuCtc cd IN 1901 two
built By Yarrow AZ Po1l1e, England the same year.
called the Akatsuki and the kasuui They are OF
lS tons displacement and steam thirty-oRe knots
hour Their coal capacity is ninety tols and thay