Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-05

them to adopt urgent peasuresa.dnd
several contingency vessels OF
heavy displacement are under way as
the result. While the United States
afloat, according to the annual state
lnent of warship tonnage and sea
strength of the eight principal Powers.
as prepared by the naval intelligence
office of the Navy Department. it is
believed by many experts that she al
ready has been eclipsed by Germany
in the actual strength of ships in COM
mission.
Among the interesting surprises to
naval officials, as disclosed by this
compilation, is that Japan, which is
supposed to have made such deter
mined squirt in the upbuilding of her
navy in and following the Japanese
American war scare two and three
years ago. has already accomplished
little or nothing in the last year. Her
gain in tonnage atioat is SO small as to
indicate that actually the navy has
dropped back slightly, Japan has lost
i'll the matter of tonnage under con-
$truction. In notable contrast to her
Year OF inactivity, japan has now sud
denly awakened again, and efforts are
being made to get through d monster
program, even larger than that OF
Germany, to obtain one or two bat
tleships of 1900 tons. mounting four
tt41n nj, "a,
battleshipS and cruisers which were
authorized last year enlarged By sew
cral thousand tons.
France remains i'll fourth place, next
below the United States, but she has
lost nearly 10000 tons ahoat, the
equivalent of two Dreadnaughts and
some smaller boats, while she has
gained practically nothing in building
In regard to the worlds tonnage.
the following comparative figures are
given
EnSland-Tonnage atioat, 1859 l6S. an in
crease of 10o,SlS in the year; building,
'll,tIo tons, an increase of GILT tons
over that building last year. Total tom
mage built and building, 2,173.S3S, Il gain
III tIlt ear OIL ibi,St
Germany-Rult 666, OBS n gaiuoof &C. 335
building, $3.50, gain of S6,S1s. Total
built and building, 963,si5, a gain Of 1885,
153.
United states-Built 7ll7oo. a gain of
3l,751 building, lo6,45O a gain of GIL
Total built and building. Sa4.l52. 4 gain of
3S,207.
France-Built 55G.aos, a loss of 46,sl4;
building. 1925, gain of 1851. Total
built and building. .25.23l, a loss of a LOTS.
Japan-Ruilt. 4l3,29l. a gain of 12,4s7
building $3.50, a loss of 1896 Total
built and building, 1851, a loss of 1853
tons.
Russia-Built. 2se,ll$, gain OF $3.50;
building. 1850, loss of 1861. Total
| built and building, i01, 1853, loss of 1879.
Italy-Bpilt ;oo 2ls's5s, gain of $s2l
Austria-Built 1898. a gain Of s7.7sl;
| building. 56,96l, a gain of cell Total
| built and building. a9,S99. II gain of 4l.oS2.
And this vast world expense cannot
he eliminated until each power can
rely upon the integrity OF the others
| that the group will not permit any two
| to go To war; that they viii not be
afraid 10 intervene: that arbitration
shall be compulsory; that every war
ship and big gun has been consigned
| to the scrap heap.
| This year the United States naval
estimates total "only" $126 046. $50 a
saving of s5,00o.o0o over last year.
What could we do with that 1875 TO $50
| millions of dollars yearly, if our naval
monsters We're stranded and allowed
to stand as monuments of world folly
and brass buttons, and how dispose of
our eX-soldiers and sailors? And
what--but lets first capture our in
ternational arbitration and then make
our peace stew.