The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-31
Japan IS RUSHING
WAR PREPARATIONS

| factory adjacent. The Kure naval ar
senai, employing over 5000 men, makes
guns or all sizes from Inches 10 H. The
guns are OF the English pattern and the
machinery for their production Is Eng
lish.
Besides big guns for the navy the Kure
arsenals will soon be ready 10 turn out
heavy rifles and disappearing guns for
land fortifications. special plant, In
stalled within the year past. has already
been at work on fertilization artillery OF
lower calibre. All the guns OF this type
already mounted on the japanese coast
batteries have been OF English manufac-
ture.
Yokosuka naval yards. next in size, are
situated on Yokohama bay, about is miles
from the city or Yokohama. The Yoko-
suka yards comprise a shipbuilding plant,
three drydocks. machine and repairing
shops and a torpedo factory, the only one
In Japan. The whole yards cover about
$50 acres. and about 700 men are en-
ployed IN the various departments.
The shipbuilding plant at Yokosuka is
about as large as that at Kure A bat.
tleship can be laid constructed and
launched, ready for commission In these
yards.
Japan. the English informant was care
ful 20 explain that at the present time
the naval engineers at Toxic are prepar.
ing absolutely unaided all the plans and
Specifications for the forthcoming home
built navy.
The torpedo factory connected with the
Yokosukn naval yard manufactures all
the torpedoes used on the ships and by
engineers for the protection OF harbors.
The dirgible torpedo for use on torpedo
boats or battleships is OF the English
type, but charged according TO secret
formula OF the japanese.
There are two smaller naval stations.
one at Maidzuru. on the west coast OF
the main island OF Hondo, about so miles
above Shimoneseki. and the other at
Saseibo, on the west coast OF the lower
island OF ISiushiu above Nagasaki.
The naval program announced from
Toxic recently purposes making OF Maid
zuru an arsenal second only 10 that OF
Kure. A torpedo plant is being installed
there and the manufacture OF shells for
naval batteries Will be undertaken as soon
as the extensive plant already ordered
can be put in operation.
The largest military arsenal in Japan Is
at Toxic. The cartridge works operated
In conjunction with the arms manufac-
tory at Toxic SUPPLIES the entire japanese
army.
The powder used Is of Japanese manu-
facture. The Shimose powder charge for
shells, the secret OF which the Japanese
have been able TO keep to themselves, is
n project OF the Ultima works.
The Osaka military arsenal. on the sea
above Kobe, Is well equipped for the man
ufacture OF guns up TO the 3-inch size.
The great siege guns used by the Jap
anese at Port Arthur were the product of
the Osaka Gun works.
1t Is evident. according 10 the same
informant, that Japan is intent upon
making herself independent OF the world
in the construction and equipment OF her
naval forces. In concluding. the English
engineer said:
II believe that the people outside or
Japan do not realize how tremendous Is
the activity OF the government in putting
the nation in a position of secure armed
defence. Nor Is IL generally known that
even with the tremendous expense In
Cured by the war weighing her down.
Japan as a possible opponen. is today
no minus quantity"