The Washington times., 1909-08-21
Opening of Bids for Two
Giant Battleships Strength
ems Position.
WILL HOLD PLACE
BUT TEMPORARILY
Other Countries Are Forging
Ahead in Construction of Big
Fighting Craft.
By JOHN sNuRE.


The United States stiH Is entitled. all
things considered. to lay claim to the
position OF the second naval power in
the world. The opening or bids. pre-
liminary to the letting OF contracts, for
TWO 26.000-ton battleships, the Wyoming
and the Arkansas, the greatest warships
the world has ever known. undoubtedly
gives the United States the right 70 be
considered as the second naval power,
ranking next to Great Britain.
This country has no assurance OF
long retaining second place. The race
in the construction II great battleships
has become 50 swift that it is no easy
matter to keep abreast of the times.
Germany is crowding the United States
hard for second place, and so is France.
And Japan is forging ahead in battle
ship construction at rate that is not
to be overlooked.
At the pace other countries are set
ting, leaving Great Britain out Of con-
sideration, the United States IS bound
to drop back before long to the third
or fourth place. providing 1t continues
TO do no more than construct two battle
ships a year. This is on the SUPPOSE
ton that other nations follow the lead
Of the United States IN constructing
ships Of 5000 tons or over. as it is to
be supposed they viii.
Changes Status.
For the immediate present. the con-
struction by the United States Of these
two huge Ieyisthans Of the deep, which
are capable Of defeating any OF the
warships even OF Great Britain. puts
this country in a place OF vantage IS
compared vizh its near rivals
Comparison Of the American navy
with the British navy as a whole, OF
course, is out of the question. unless
the 26,000-ton vessel is possessed of a
superiority in fighting qualities which
even her designers do not suspect.
It is the custom TO consider naval
strength on the basis of the total ton
mage. The latest figures on this sub
ject, those of last year. based on the
vessels actually constructed. placed
Great Britain first with 1.669 005 tons.
the United States second with 6S5. 416
tons; France third with 62S.SS2 tons; and
Germany fourth with 524.578 tons.
But calculations made AZ the same
time. as of November 1 Of last year.
showed that If ali the vessels now build
ing were completed France would he
second. the United States third and
Germany fourth. France having s011SS
tons and the United states 10 los tons.
Figures Deceptive.
However, the paper figures as to naval
strength are extremely deceptive. This
has been shown so often that 1t is use
less TO recount the facts. It may be
said that the paper calculations as 10
the comparative strength OF the Japan
ese and the Russian navies were not
worth the making Of them. Just now. it
is particularly true that paper calcula-
tions based on total tonnage are of little
value.
They may properly be said 10 be Of
less value than ever This is the case
for the reason that naval men are com
ing 10 see that in a time Of actual war
the real test OF strength would probably
lie in the giant battIeships. These are
usually referred to as Dreadnaughts.
though the Dreadnaught has long since
been outdistanced. As the pioneer OF
the type of giant battleship. however,
the name is still utilized.
Naval officers ssy that the time is
near at hand when comparisons Of naval
strength must be based on the number
of a nations Dreadnaughts. That time
has not arrived, they say. but il win ar
rive in q few years. when a number OF
vessels building and authorized viii
nave been completed. Smaller vessels
and old vessels then win be given little
recognition. unless, indeed. il be the
torpedo boat or the submarine.
Still a Poser.
American naval officers say that for
two or three years more. the ordinary
and men-Of-War are entitled
to be considered in reckoning on the
first naval line of national defense But
it viii not be long until most of them
will have to be rated as belonging to
the second line or reserve. This is the
same thing as saying that the dav is
rapidly drawing near when the strength
Of navies viii be reckoned ia terms OF
Dreadnaughts
This fact lends interest TO what the
nations of the world are doing and nave
done in respect of DTeadnaughis In the
up-tO-date sense. a Dread adnaught may
be either a battleship or q great aF-
mored cruiser Great Britain. for in-
stance, is building one armOred cruiser
which viii have a tonnage OF 1900 and
will carry eight 12-inch guns
The number OF gigantic battieships
and armored cruisers which the lead
ing nations have built, building or au-
thOrized. is as follows: