Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-01
JAPS WORKING
NIGHT AND DAY
BRITISH EXPERT SAYS ARsENALs
AND sHIPYARDs ARE ACTIVE
AT ALL TIMES
Island Empire is Independent of the
World In Manufacture of All Its Sup
plies and Munitions OF NARROWER
is Kept Secret.

New York, Dec. 31.-An English en-
gineer, at present stopping in New
York en- route from Toxic to London
who for the last three years enjoyed
peculiar opportunity for observation
by reason of his business relations
with the Japanese war Office. today
gave some facts concerning Japan re-
serve war strength and it's arsenal and
shipyard production.
+ Since the war, he said, the Office in
Toxic has been as chary of admitting
foreigners to knowledge of what is
being done in the manufacture of war
material as during the struggle. Out
side Of the possible information gath
cred by secret agents of European
war Offices the world at large has no
conception of the high pressure work
going on in all the war supply factor
les of Japan, nor is anything known
of the facilities these factories pos.
sess for the scientific production of
instruments Of war
japan has two military arsenals, EN-.
ploying approximately $4,000 work.
men. These arsenals have extra night
shifts. At times they run week in
and week out, continuously. The en-
pire operates four shipyards and naval
arsenals. In two of them battleships
have been built and two more are
building Aside from these, there are
government steel works for the pro.
duction Of armor plate and material
for big guns, a government powder
factory, two auxiliary private ship.
yards and drydocks capable of being
used for war purposes within twenty
four hours.
This in mass is the potential war
equipment of Japan. Throughout all
the works there is at present not one
foreigner, neither teacher nor work.
man. The gates are closed to every
Japanese who is not in the employ
of the government,
Glimpse of Navy Yards.
The navy yards at Kure, on an is
land sea, are the largest ard best
equipped in Japan. Today, there are
between $4,000 and 10000 machinists.
artisans, and laborers living there.
The keel Of battleship can be laid
down at Kure an dthe whole vessel
built with no Importation either of
machinery or armament.
At the present time sister ship of
the battelship Satsuma, recently LAUGH
ed at the Yokosuku naval yards, which
is larger than the Dreadnaught, is un.
der construction in the Kure ship
yards The Kure naval arsenal, en-
ploying over 5000 men, makes guns OF
all sizes from three inch to twelve.
Besides big guns for the navy the
Kure arsenals soon will be ready to
turn out heavy rifles and disappearing
guns for land Notifications A special
plant installed within the year al
ready has been at work on artillery.
The Yokosuka naval yards, next in
size, are situated on Yokohama bay,
about fifteen miles from the city of
Yokohama. The Yoosuka yards com.
prise shipbuilding plant, three dry
docks, machine repairing shops. and a
torpedo factory the only one in Japan
The Yolsosulia yards turn out engines
and boilers for all war vessels now
being constructed by Japan in her own
yards. The Miyabera boiler, the In
vention of a Japanese naval officer. Is
said by expert shipbuilders to be the
finest of its kind.