Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-02-03
POSSIBLE FIGHT
Within. 5. TOPIC
in JAPANS DIET
Admiral Kato Asked What Navy
Plans Are in Case of Attack
BY American Fleet
SIXTEEN GREAT SHIPS
PLAN FOR FIRST LINE
Dreadnought Remains Basic
Unit of Great NaVleS, Is
Opinion of Committee
fBy Associated PressI

TOXIC. - One superdreadnought.
two cruisers, one destroyer, three sub
marines and two special service ships
constitute the program o. naval build
ing for Japan for 1916. Admiral Kato,
minister for marine, explained the ma
val expansion project before the bud
get committee of the diet recently in
response to an Interpolation.
The battleship will be about the
same type as the Fuse and Nama-
shire, which was recently launched,
and will carry twelve 14-inch guns
and sixteen 6-inch guns. The two
cruisers will have a speed OF % knots.
They will probably be in the nature
of light scout ships Their armament
has not yet been decided. The sub
marines will have a displacement OF
seven hundred tons each, a speed OF
IS knots on the surface and 10 knots
I'm the water and will carry one gun.
Admiral Kato expressed the opin-
ion that the war in Europe would not
necessitate any considerable altera-
ton in the naval armament of the
great powers He fully recognized,
he said, the effectiveness of aircraft
and submarines as weapons of ofense
as demonstrated I'm the present war,
but he believed that these facts hard
" affected the position Of the battle
ship as an engine of war. IL the
kaiser's warships dared not venture
from their own sheltered waters IL
was because of the powerful British
squadrons awaiting them outside. The
absence of any great naval engage
ment in Europe must be ascribed TO
the very great difference between the
British and German nayies. -.
As for submarines, however, active
" they might work. their activities
were confined within certain limits
and they could hardly be expected
to place the great battleships hors de
combat. The minister said that equip
ment was now being provided on
ships against air attacks. He was
confident that the dreadnought re-
NAMED the basic unit of great ma
yies.
Revesls First Line Plans.
The admiral further said that in
deciding the ornaments for new bat.
tleships the naval authorities PREFER.
ed the twelve 14-inch guns principle
TO the eight l5-inch of the British and
German nayies because they deemed
the former more advantageous than
the latter from the viewpoint of ma
val tactics. Furthermore, the authori-
ties believed that there would occur
no change In the shape and size OF
warships and naval guns in the near
future. The minister's remarks
brought out the fact that Japan's even,
tual program includes the establish.
ment of first line fleet of eight bat
tleships and eight great battle cruis.
ers.
Admiral Kato was asked particular
,ly by X. Kobayashi, member of the
committee, as to the comparative
strength of the Japanese navy and
those of Great Britain, Germany and
the United States. The member also
wanted to know whether the naval
authorities were confident of victory
in case of WARRIOR instance, in case
of war with the United States. He
asked what plan the navy had in case
the United States attacked Japan with
her naval strength twice that of the
Japanese navy.
To this Admiral kato replied thai
figures do not always decide the issue
of a battle He is quoted as having
added: IF the American navy in
yades Japan, we have only to encount
er II with the best tactics and art o
warfare, to the last vessel and las
man, meanwhile relying on the dig
nifty Of the August emperor and tn,
strong support of a sixty millions ma
ton. This is the decision of our nav!
in such an eventually
Changes IN Personnel.
Simultaneous with the opening O
the diet has come a sweeping chang,
in the personnel of the navy. Espe
cially noteworthy is the appointment
of Vice-admiral Yashiro,. ex-minfstel
of the navy, to be eommaRder-inehie
of the second squadron; viceadmira
Nawa as commander-in-chief of Mai
zuru naval station; Vice-admiral Mu
rakami as commander-in-chief of tn,
third squadron; Vice-admiral Yamaya
who commanded the japanese squad
ron to the southern isles during tn,
war operations last year, as vice-chie
of the naval board of command. anC
the transfer of Vice-admiral Takarabt
from commandership OF the third
squadron to the command of the sec
ondary naval station at Port Arthur.
Since resigning as minister of ma
;rine, Vice-admiral Yashiro, who wor
the applause of the public as leader
of the navy cleansing in connection
with the naval scandal of last year
has been leading a secluded life ii
q suburb OF Kioto deyoting himsel
TO the study of Buddhistic philosophy
His appointment to the new post to
gether with his restoration to activ,
service has attracted much approval
The changes are generally regarded
in Toxic as indicating a commence
ment of waning of the influence o
men of Satsuma extraction. The grea
leaders in the navy have always com,
from Satsuma province, hence tn,
navy power had come to be known a,
Satsuma.
Hhen Your Eyes Need Care
TFv mmrina FIVE Damadv