Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-09-11
JAPAN BUILDING wARsHlPs.
Spirit OF Nippon Shown in the Activ
ity in the Shipyards.

ity in the Shipyards.
! Nowhere perhaps is the effect unon
Japan Of the recent war more patent
than In her great naval yards, no
where does the magnitude of her am
bltions find more cogent demonstra.
lions, says Blaekwood's Magazine.
The possessors of an island empire
the statesmen Of Japan have not been
slow to recognize the value of a strong
navy and a powerful and numerous
mercan re marine. Under a system of
shipbuiiding and ship running
bounties her merchant shipping mas
made huge strides, and the advocates
OF state aid may point to the success.
ful transportation of troops In time of
war IN justification of their policy.
Turing the late war a single com.
pany, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. was
able to place at the disposal of the
government 100000 tons OF shipping
with which it successfully carried 10
and from the seat of war upward of
100000 men, $4,000 horses and
close upon 100000 tons of stores.
Under the same paternal encourage
ment the displacement of the steam.
ers OF her mercantile marine aggre-
gated by April last 951, 900 tons~an
increase In less than three wears NJ
800 ships, with displacement OF 2Os
! 7Ss tons. = -'o'
striking as are these figures. ami
ioud as is the tale of the destructive
competition Of Japanese bottoms IN
Chinese waters, the tale of the sreat
nasai arsenals and dockyards is even
more significant. A visit to kure is
little less than revelation.
armed with an official permit which
read "Kure arsenal and backwards
except the armor works. I gained
immediate admittance frsm the con.
tinel on guard. The first glance tells
you that you are in the presence NJ
a spirit of imperious energy ana IN.
domitable will. You are broneb,
ABRUPTLY face to face with one of the
startling contrasts Of the east
outside the wall fragile houses old
world courtesy. laughing children
sleepy temples, leisurely priests ans
sinillng women-all the recognized n.
gradients CT quaint, fantastic. ortbo-
dox Japan. inside. the clash and clang
Q, IRON upon steel. the roar of ma.
chinery and the hiss OF steam. all the
oeWiider1ng equipment for the forv,u~
OF engines destined for the deatr,ct,on
Oh human life. vast piles Of nv,~
scanolding toiling masses and a ts.,.
hour day.
EieVen years ago the naval yaras
at AZURE came into existerce The ~
spring OF the war with China. ,.,dav
they provide employment for 40 OOo
men and are capable Of building har.
lle shfps the equal OF any now af,oat
ihey are complete and seltmf,ci,g
IN every detail. They turn ont, ever
tnlng connected with the con,tr,,ct,rs,,
or battleships. from a riyet ~ .
twelve-inch gun.
Frlor to the late war nothing bio.
ger than a third class cruiser o; ooo
or 4'oOO tons has been attempted. but
tne war gave great Impetus to Japan.
csc naval construction, and In jam.
airy, 1905, the keel Of the first large
cruiser, the Tsukuba, was laid down
loday saw her all but completed IN
her dock at Kure, a powerful firsr.
class cruiser of 1880 tons. A little
way on lay her sister ship. the Ikoma
though not quite so far advanced.
The japanese ambition has not ston.
ped here. Two vast battle ships. the
Satsuma and the Aki, are now under
construction at Yokosuka and Kura
respectively. Not even the Dread.
nought, the latest yet of the British
navy, Will boast superiority to these
monster engines of war. With a dis
placement Of 10000 tons, a speed OF
nineteen knots and an offensive ar.
mament OF four twelve-inch and
twelve ten-inch guns, they will meet
with but few equals upon the sea.
The enormous increase of the jan
anese feet during the last two wears
has perhaps not been generally appre-
eiated In England. The following Is a
list Of the larger vessels actually nm.
der construction in Japanese yards
at the present time:
puf nfa