Evening star., 1919-08-17

The United States is now secono
only to great Britain as a naval
power and is at present pushing u
completion a building program tna'
will make the American Navy. 1or
the first time on record, a formldaoie
contender for first naval honors. Ihis
is demonstrated in figures sho"ihs
the present sea strength of the varl-
Gus world powers, compiled by the
Navy Departments Office OF naval
intelligence. The United States Close
pressed by France in 1917 for i's
place as third world naval power
now ranks second.
A little more than two years ago
Germany, then second naval power
boasted of having 100 more snipe
than the United States, exceeding the
tonnage of the American Navy py
nearly 100000 tons. Today Germany
all classes. totaling S26.6Sl tons.
These figures do not include Ger nd an
vessels surrendered to the allies. ~
day Germany is outclassed In hava
fighting power by both France anu anu
Japan. The pride of Germany SEQ
power was surrendered 10 Tie
at Scapa Flow. ,o,-
Japan, third naval power in l9Il.
has passed both France and Gerihany
and now ranks next to the oniteu
States in sea strength. Actual s.anu sIa
ing of the naval powers of the worlu
today from the standpoint of modern
fighting strength, according ~
Navy Departments figures. Is: Hlea'
Britain, United States, Japan, fFahee'
Germany, Russia and Italy.
Navies of Big Powers.
Completion of all vessels now build
ing and projected will add Z19 snipI'
totaling 100000 tons to the brieini, na
navy. as compared with 349 ships ana
l.l16.3S9 tons for the United states,
"a ships and 167,200 tons for japan
and l3 ships and $4,000 tons lot He
many. Completion of the present
building programs. matteI % a,oUai
three years. Will nnd tne .ha foIiow-
powers of the world with the ,;, 1oi,oW
ing naval strength: Great brita,n.
e55 ships. totaling 2.772,542 tons
United States, sos ships, totailng =
117,922 tons; Japan. ITO ships. tota.,ns
7s5.2ss tons; France. 2oS Ssrnnsnv sn,ps; ~ asa
ing 719,237 tons, and GERMANY 1'
ships. totaling s23.437 tons
THE United States Navy, as re-
suit of the torpedo-boat destroyer
building program carried out curing
the war, now has $50 destroyers u
the fastest and latest IT. type pnd ~i, bu;lding.
~ ~ prit.in owns about 425 of this
tvne and has about 10 building anu
authorized. Germanys destroyer ~
has been SO reduced as to MAKE IL
a negligible factor xu the
Great Britain emerged from tne
war with by far the most po"erIui
battleship and battle cruiser Iorcs
in the world, although the Unlteo
States now has under constructors q
formidable aggregation OF n,a3o. ,.5os
ships. Engiands navy a*t1s .ou1 cruisers
less than twenty years old, Win =
powerful battle cruisers now uhoe'
construction. .,,r+v-s;1
battleships capable of holding ',,S ptaSe
IN a modern battle line. and not inciud-
ing a number of old-type battlesnips
listed for sale or the scrap heap. Ihif
teen of the most modern oattiesnIps ~
the world are under construction Ioi tne
United States and six battie cruiseas S
are authorized and will De cofnpie'eu
during the next three years:
| Janan has thirteen battleships ana
seven battle cruisers completed ana Iour
battle cruisers under constructlon oI
authorized Germany retains tnlrty
battleships and one battle cruiser nn0s1 Usi
value. and has two battieships and three
hattie cruisers laid down. on which con-
struction has been stopped. France mas
eighteen battleships and no Datiie cruls
ers completed and five battieshlps ana
fopr hattie cruisers under construction.
Major Ships Among Powers.
The completion of the present build
ing programs will find the following line
up of major ships: Great brltain' my
ave hattleships and thirteen battle cruis-
ers: United States. forty-nine battle
ships and six battle cruisers; Japan,
thirteen battleships and eleven battle
cruisers; Germany. thirty-two battle
ships and four battle cruisers, still SUD-