Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-09
JAPAN'S NAVAL PLANS
AIMED AT THE j. S,
Wants Enough Ships to Whip
"Certain Foreign Power"
in the Pacific.

That the plans of the Japanese ad-
miralty regarding an overwhelming navy
have been changed somewhat to meet the
straitened exchequer Of the island en-
pire, but that the legislature Of Japan
has been urged to build fleet which will
easily dominate the Pacific ocean, is
claimed in a statement now in the hands
Of Representative Brittcn of Chicago
member of the House naval affairs COM
mittee
Mr.. Britten is in possession of copy
OF a news article from the Asahi. a
Toxic newspaper in which. it is claimed
a full report is given of the appearance
Of Admiral Takarabe. vice minister Of the
navy. before a subcommittee of the low
though the press and public were ex-
cluded, the Asahi claims the information
published is accurate
Aim Of Naval Program.
According to that article:
Admiral Takarabe the vice minister
OF the navy. said the plans for the in
crease Of the navy had been altered
to meet the financial position of the
country. 1t was originally proposed
to form a fleet strong enough to beat
the feet Of a certain foreign power
which the government had principally
In view in drawing up it's naval pro-
gram. The foreign power In question
was able tor would be able before long)
to send It's principal squadron consist
Ing of twenty-one battleships and
cruisers. at short notice into certain
the next possible encounter in war. and
the budget therefore provides at pres
ent for the construction Of three
dreadnOughts of the most powerful
type, and for the eventual carrying out
of scheme for eight dreadnoughts,
four battle cruisers. eight scouts and
forty destrOyers, at a cost Of 36,5OO,O00
pounds.
1T was proposed to increase the pres
ent number of battleships in each
tleships would have been necessary to
effect this, and. in addition, it would
have been necessary to build eight
cruisers, sixteen scout cruisers and
forty eight destroyers. costing a total
of f54.O00.0O0.
Modification Of Program.
1t was found impossible to
Instead Of eight battle
ships. seven would be constructed
(seven dreadnoughts of $4,000 tons
each). and instead Of eight cruisers not
more than four dreadnought cruisers
would be built. The number Of scout
ships would have to be reduced to
eight and the number of destroyers to
forty-six. This did not include the
warships that were now in course Of
At Kure. a battleship of 27,-
500 tons. to be named the Fuso. was
being constructed. while no fewer than
eight cruisers Of 27,509 tons each were
being built In different yards.
THE government did not think the cost
of this program would come to more
than Rs9,26O.000. The government.
however, would not embark on this
scheme Just yet, and would content itself
for the present with what might be called
the -million-yen program
go, 3OOOOO. According to this the prin-
cipal squadron of the Japanese navy
would consist Of twelve ships-eight bat
tleships and four cruisers. This squad
ron would be strong enough in itself to
meet the squadron of twenty-one ships
of the certain power already alluded to.
Three new battleships would have to be
built to complete this modified program"