The sun., 1906-12-31


city on the line of the Nippon Railroad,
employ about half this number.
The Japanese rife is OF an Individual
type and the full supply u manufactures at
the Toxic arms works. At the present time
with the equipment that has been installed
at Toxic 500 of these rifles can be turned
out in a day. The steel IL forged IN Japan,
but the wood for the gun stocks comes from
abroad. The war board at Toxic has been
considering a change in the type OF rlne
and has in mind either a modification OF the
existing rife or the substitution OF an en-
tirely new gun.
The shell works at Toxic have a daily
capacity OF 600 inch shells for field pieces
with fuses complete. This plant was IN
stalled during the war and additions to it
are projected.
A fuse works with a daily capacity OF
1 100 fuses for shells Of from inches TO IL
inches is now working in conjunction with
the Toxic arsenal.
The Nagoya branch arsenal makes only
gun parts, which are assembled at the
Toxic works. At the new branch north
OF Toxic machinery for the manufacture
OF field pieces and their parts has been put
into operation within the last year.
All of the saddles, camp accoutrement
and paraphernalia of sappers, commissariat
and cavalry are made at Toxic.
The cartridge works operated IN con-
junction with the arms manufactory at
Toxic supplies the entire Japanese army.
ture. One large powder works at Ujima,
on the Inland Sea, has been supplying all
the powder for small arms and field pieces
Of low calibre, while the cubical powder
for big gun charges has been imported.
The Shimose powder charge for shells,
the secret of which the Japanese have been
able to keep to themselves, ia a product
Of the Uiima works.
The Osaka military arsenal, situated on
| the sea above Kobe, Is we'll equipped Tor
the manufacture Of guns up to the three
inch size, and a recently installed addition
| to its plant makes possible the mApufac-
| ture OF eight inch guns for battleships
| and cruisers. Il is here that the bulk OF
the shells for the big guns for land forti,
! fications and naval batteries is made. Shell
cases, shells and forgings are turned out
complete, ready for the charging.
| The great siege guns used by the Japan
ese at Port Arthur were the product OF the
Osaka gun works. More OF this type OF
| gun are being added to the store OF arms
constantly, and heavy guns for coast de-
fence can also be turned out from Osaka
To this list Of shipyards and arsenals,
| powder works and torpedo stations there
| must be added as reserve forces OF Japan,s 8
| potential war strength the two great prl-
vate dockyards-the Kowasah at Kobe
and the Mitsui Bishi at Nagasaki. Both
are equipped with drydocks, machine
shops and all the machinery necessary TO
remodel or repair the largest vessel. At
4
docks and a shipbuilding plant where the
best ships Of the Japanese merchant ma
| rine have been built.
1t is also known that the japanese War
Office is building naval station at the port
of Formosa. where coaling facilities and
repair shops will be established
1t liz evident, according to The SUNS
informant that japan is intent upon max
ing herself independent Of the world in the
construction and equipment OF her naval
| Nha mn fhpHn
under construction or about 10 be lalo
down in the Government yards three bat
tleships nine aTmored cruisers and ten fast
cruisers. The Satsuma and Aki class oi
battleship. now building, are 10 600 ton ships
The Katori and Kashima, both under course
Of construction, are of 1880 tons.
Before left Toxic, said the engineer
"it had been announced through the Japa-
nese official organ that il was the consen
sus of opinion among naval designers
that the new programme of naval expansion
should provide a battleship squadron OF
eight ships, representing the strongest anC
newest types; two armored cruiser squad
rons of eight ships each, and three las
cruiser squadrons of four ships each.
THE Japanese have nearly completed
the work of repairing the Russian ships
captured in the battle Of Japan Sea and al
Port Arthur and Chemulpo. This alone
gives them formidable addition to then
feet, but they consider the Orel and the
Retvizan the only ships of the lot competent
to be classed with the new ones that they
have designed.
@The Diet has Appropriated 100000 .OOt
yen for the Improvement OF the japanese
Navy. This sum liz designed to cover {
period Of eight years. OF this sum II 900, ,0O
ven will be devoted to the rehabilitation o
the Russian ships and the repair OF tn
Japanese vessels. "A sum almost equa
| will 90 to the extension OF the shipyard ant
| arsenal production and the remainder vii
be devoted to the building Of ships. :.
IL believe that the. people outside o
| japan do not realize how tremendous is tn
activity of the Government in putting tn
| nation in a position OF secure armed de
fence, Nor is it generally known that eve
| with the tremendous expense incurred b,
| the war weighing her down japan as
possible opponent is to-day no minu
quantity.
tory and the peculiar contour OF her coasts
Japan gets big naval advantage over an,
| nation that would have to cross the sea
to attack her. The Inland Sea, upon tn
shores Of which il located the kure nava
station, is made "a secure as lake by tn
heavy fortifications at it's three narroV
entrances. Even were Japan's nav.
brought TO the direst extremity II oou
find refuge in the Inland Sea- and be re
paired at the Kure naval statian, t4..
AT present Japan buys nearly all OF II
steel from England. Seventy five per cent
Of its arsenal machinery IL bought from tn
same market; the rest is of American manu-
facture. Since japan took umbrage a
German sympathy for Russia during th
war there have been practically no order
for arsenal or shipbuilding machinery give
to German manufacturers.
-Realizing the instability Of internations
alliances, the Japanese Government Is no'
striving with all it's might TO make the natio
independent Of all other nations in its wa
strength az in its commercial life. And wit
the one exception of steel the Government
military and naval arm is now independent
Prom otion for Former Capt. Creedens Sol
John F. Creeden, who got $500 jo