The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-10

Inc bIlIlSn naval Annual NpEob-
ably the most complete and authori-
tative naval periodical published in
English) said in 1902:
During the past ten years the COM
parative strength of the leading ma.
vies of the world has been completely
modified Ten years ago (1S92) the
only navy which could bear compari-
son with the British was that Of
France. Next came Russia, then Italy
Germany and the United were almost
negligible quantities. The Japanese
had not yet begun to create a navy"
Thus within the decade now ending,
three of the great existing navies-
those of Germany, japan and the Unit
ed States-are newcomers.
At the present moment, counting
ships actually built and under con-
struction, the German Navy is sec
ond to that of Graf Britain. That of
the United States is a close third, but
it is steadily losing ground-despite
the strong appeals of Mr.. Roosevelt
during his tenure of the Presidency,
which covered the greater part of
the decade under consideration.
Throughout much of this period, Ger
many and the United States were run
ming neck and neck, though this pos
sibly was not the result of direct In
tention. For a short time the United
States navy was the second in the
world. The French has now dropped
to the fourth place, with large in
terval between them and number three
Japan follows France, with Is battle
ships to %.
These changes are, above all, signih-
cant, because they are the outcome
of changed political and economical
conditions. OF these, the greatest is
the industrial progress of Germany
since the Introduction of the protec,
tive system in 1879, which followed
shortly upon the consolidation Of the
Empire in 1870. Coincident with the
adoption of protection came the alli-
ance with Austria-Hungary. This has
confirmed the military preponderance
of Middle Europe on the Continent
thus increasing the ability of Germany
to devote expenditure to it's navy, to
which it has been further compelled
by the immense growth of commerce.
A few figures tell the story. Between
1894 and 1904, Germany's trade vii.
the European continent by land in
creased by 48 per cent; by sea, the
increase was 68 per cent; while with
countries outside Europe-that is, by
purely maritime, long-voyage com
merce-the increase was SO per cent
Such increase of sea-borne trade in
duces naval expansion.
The relative advance of Germany as
compared with that of Great Britain
it's real competitor, has been much
i facilitated by the universal adoption
Of a new type of warship, familiar tc
/ the general reader under the name Of
Dreadnought. This, from a particu'
/ lar vessel, has come to characterize {
type, as Monitor did so years ago
This is perhaps the most importan
technical development of the perioC
before us, and therefore requires ex
PLANTATION. In strict nomenclature
Dreadnoughts are ships the armamen
of which is concentrated in a very few
very heavy guns-preferably all of tn
same size. For this the expression
"All-big-gun" "a. B. g. ship has beel
coined. In rigorous design they wer
to have no other battery-except
number of very light pieces, ineffec
i've against battleships, and designe
to repel torpedo attack. Actually
while the very few guns remain a
characteristic (the emphasis Of tn
, conception being on them) several ma
vies, among them the German and JaI
anese, retain what is called "the II
=, termediate battery" of fiveinch an
= six-inch guns. The argument for thes
+ is the demoralizing effect upon an Ell
emys crew of their fierce succession
: impacts and explosions, owing to thei
greater swiftness of fire.
In effect, the fewness of the yer
big guns has given rise to a desire
e increase their number. which could
3 done only by increasing tonnage. tt
q result of this has been a progressiN
/ and very rapid growth in size. In 19C
n October 28) the General Board
e the United States recommended II
n Connecticut, of 10000 tons, to be Il
S standard as to displacement and
e mansions. The last planned battle
r ships for the American Navy call f