Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-17
AME ERICAN NAVY
SECOND ONLY To
THAT Of BRITAIN;
SOON WILL EQUAL
Japan'S Naval Strength Now a
Close Third and is Building
More Fighters as Rapidly as
Possible to Construct Them
GERMAN STRENGTH IS
ALMOST NEGLIGIBLE
Power Once Only Second to
England Now Has Largely
Obsolete Ships euton Pride
Lost at SCapa Flow,

~ McaNlNs JOURNAL Al Ii I'D WlNEl
Washington. Aug. 16-The rapid
rise of the United States as naval
power during the past two years Is
graphically demonstrated in figures
showing the sea strength of the vari-
GUS world powers, compiled by the
navy departments office of naval in
telligence. They show that the United
States, close pressed by France in
1917 for its place as third naval pow
power in the world, is now second
only to Great Britain and is at pres
ent pushing to completion a building
program that will make the American
navy, for the first time In recent his
tory, q formidable contender Tor first
naval honors.
A little more than two years ago,
the figures show, Germany then sec
ond naval power, boasted more than
100 more ships of al classes than the
United States with a total tonnage ex-
ceeding that of the American navy by
nearly 100000 tons. Great Britain's
fleet at that time numbered a total
of ESQ ships aggregating 2,375,564
tons as compared with Germanys 262
ships and 1,05S,24 tons and the Unit
ed States 1853 ships and S60,017 tons.
Germany Far OutCiaSSed.
Today Germany, now in third place
among the naval powers has a pa
per" navy of 450 ships of all types.
totaling S26,637 tons, These figures
do not include German vesse's surren-
dered TO the allies or Russian vessels
in the hands of the Germans. Regard
ed from the standpoint of fighting ef-
ficiency as distinguished from number
"a .tas AYAtF tesr rt1t
classed by both France and Japan. her
navy being composed almost entirely
of old and obsolete vessels, The pride
of Germanys sea power was surren-
dered to the allies at Scapa Flow.
where many Of them We've sunk by
their officers and crews,
Japan, fifth naval power in 1917,
has passed France and Germany both
and now ranks next to the United
States in fighting sea strength, The
actual standing of the naval powers
of the world today from the stand
point of modern fighting strength, ac-
cording to the navy departments fig
ures, is Great Britain, United States,
Japan, France, Germany, Russia and
italy.
The completion of all vessels now
building and projected will add 219
ships totaling 5000 tons to the Brit
ish navy as compared with $40 ships
and 1,1t6,3S9 tons for the United
States, twenty-four ships and 167, 200
tons for Japan, and thirteen ships and
$4,000 tons for Germany according
to the most authentic figures available
at the navy department.
What Three Years win Show.
The completion of the present
building programs, matter of about
three years. will find the chief naval
powers of the world with the follow
ing relative strengths: Great Britain,
955 ships aggregating 2.772,542 tons;
United States. SOS ships totaling o.
117922 tons; Japan, 170 ships, 7S5.2S0
tons; France, 253 ships. 71s.2S7 tons.
and Germany. 463 ships measuring
| 923,437 tons.
AS a result Of the great torpedo boat
destroyer building program carried
| out by the United States dultng the
war the American navy now includes
more than $50 destroyers of the fast
est and later type, with nearly 200
more building or contracted for. Great
| Britain owns about 425 of this type of
vessel, many of them old and of little
modern naval value, and has about
110 building or authorized. Germany's
destroyer force has been so reduced
as to make 1t a negligible factor.
Japan owns forty modern destroyerS,
according to best available figures,
and has about twenty under construc-
| tion.
Great Britain emerged from the war
with by far the most powerful battle
ship and battle cruiser force in the
world; although the United States
now has under construction formid-
able aggregation of major ships. Eng
lands navy today includes fifty-five
battleships and nine battle cruisers
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