Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-29
YEAR BOOK OF NAVY SHOWS
RELATIVE STRENGTH or MA.
irloNs ON SEAS.
GREAT BRITAIN RETAINS
TREMENDOUS SUPREMACY
United State. and Germany Running
c'oss Rice With Germany Gaining
Slightly = France in Fourth and
Japan in Fifth PIaee-Franes Has
Hobby For Torpedo Boats.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, Jan. 29.-Illuminatine
facts on tine subject Of the relative
strength OF the great naval powers are
set forth in the new navy yearbook,
which has just come from the press.
and which has been printed as a SEN
ate document. The various tables set
forth in the yearbook make 1t clear
that the United States has fallen be-
hind Germany in the race for naval
supremacy, while Great Britain still
maintains, as she has for many years,
her vast preponderance over Compel
itors.
While the United States has fallen
behind Germany to a slight extent, the
two countries are so close together as
to be running a neck and neck contest.
II there were a war today between the
United States and Germany the two
powers would be so nearly equal in sea
strength on paper that the statistical
whichswould have the advantage.
eritain's Supremacy.
Probably the most striking thing
about the tables and other data is the
tremendous superiority of Great Brit
ain, EQt merely in respect to battle
ships and tonnage Of fighting vessels
but In reset to armament and per-
soEnel.
! The powers are ranked in this order
as to number OF warships, built and
building. and tons:
Great Britain-o60 vessels and 1884,
57s tons.
Germany-2eS vessels and 1857. 1893
tons.
United States-1s7 vessels and $751;
.066 tons. ;,
Francois vessels and 741.425 tons.
Japan-1S4 vessels and 5s0,119 tons.
When it comes to big battleships.
OF 10000 tons and over. Great Britain
has Ga Germany 81. the United States
IS. France, "a and Japan Is.
In armored cruisers, Great Britain
has 43, Germany II. the United States
u. France %. and japan II.
Frances Hobby Torpedo Boats.
The fact that in the tables France
Is shown to have more warships than
any other nation but Great Britain is
accounted for my her possession of
zoo torpedo boats. In this respect,
France Is ahead Of Germany. far ahead
Of the United States and about on a
level with Great Britain. Considered as
a defensive factor, France has in these
a powerful piece Of equipment for
war. &
Mere examination Of the tables as
to mum Der OF warships and tonnage
however comes far from revealing the
whole truth as to the situation. For
one thing, the big guns on the war
ships have to be studied. And the
tables concerning this are Of special
interest. Considering guns which are
built and building or projected. 1t is
found that Great Britain has 4S4. Ger
many .272. the United States 220,
France 125 and japan los.
Thus, in. respect of heavy guns, II
appears this country is behind both
Great fBritain and Germany In one
respect, however. this country is ahead
Of Great Britain and Germany in guns.
1t has forty Of the great 14-inch guns
building and projected. No other ma
ton has any Of these guns. That the
14-inch gun is a superior weapon Is
fully believed by American ordnance
expeftse Moreover. the life of this gun
il tar longer than that of guns Of
smaller caliber.
When 1t comes to personnel. 1t is
four5 that the United States and Ger
many-afe practically abreast. Germany
is slightly ahead. Counting officers and
enlis4ed men, the British navy numbers
1919; 465. the German. 60,974: the Amer
team. s0.217: the French, 5S,755, and
the Japanese. 47.1e7.
~. 8. Building Drsadnaushts.
Thr dreadnaughts which the United
States lis Building excel in displace-
ment the warships which are beine
constructed in the yards Of any Of the
other great powers. The Arkansas and
Wyoming are each Of $4,000 tons. The
New York Texas; Nevada and Okla
i,oynn are each Of 1880 tons. The
largest of the British warships build
Ing are the Princess Royal. the Queen
Mary and an unnamed vessel which are
Of $4,000 tons each. The largest Ger
man vessels under construction are
!'22, 00e tons, each, the largest of the
French $1,000 tons and Of the japanese
q, 900 tons.
In speed, however, the American biz
battleships are sadly outranked by the
British. The American battleshipl
which ere now building are from 2o.5
to u knots in speed. But the Swift
est Of the British battleships have q
speed sof q knots. The monster Lion
already in commission, IL q 2s-knot
ship. For their failure to keep abreast
Of the ,Bsitish In speed, the naval au-
thoritiss Of this country are winning nc
end Of SHARP criticism from we'll
informed sources.