The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-01-12
GIVES DATA ON
NAVAL. FORCE OF
THREE POWERS
Daniels Tells Sea Strength
of u. S., Great Britain
and Japan. x.

Washington, Jan. 12.-Secretary
Daniels today laid before the House
naval affairs committee what he
described as approximately CON-
plete data on the relative seapower
Of the three principal naval powers,
requested by the committee in coa-
nection with the consideration Of
its question Of international dis
armament.
Tables submitted by the secre-
tary show that while the present.
effective fighting strength Of the
British navy includes 53S ships, OF
1,588,442 tons, as compared with
$50 ships Of 779,193 tons for the
American navy, completion Of the
authorized building program of
this country in 1925 will give it a
tonnage superiority in the ratio OF
1.35 to one, with approximately IN
equal number Of ships.
While the strength of the Amer
ican navy was shown to be more
than double that Of Japan, should
the latter country complete its pro
jected program for 1927, in adGi-
ton to construction already author.
lied, and this country terminate
construction with its present pro.
gram, its naval superiority ovel
Japan in that year, it was shown
would be reduced to q ratio of IL
to one.
In major ships and gun powel
the American navy at the compile
ton of its present program viii
have an actual superiority over thu
British feet, Secretary Daniel,
said in discussing the figures, bu
It will be considerably weaker,
he added, in point of light cruiser'
and other ships needed to protec
the main feet and to carry ou
blockading and other strategice
operations.
q. s. Handicapped.
I'VE will be slightly inferior ii
tho submarines, and will have n,
modern aircraft carriers, suitabl
for operating with the heet," h
said. THAT means that while on
battleship force will be sufficien
Ito cope with any navy in the world
our main fleet would, be. open t
attack by the enemy's torped
forces. We would also be hand!
capped in obtaining information Q
the enemy's movements and Il
maintaining q blockade of the en-
emy's ports. Due to this weakness
in ships of this class, we would b
Handicapped in conducting attack
against the enemy's feet with tor
pedoes."
Secretary Daniels declared on
Of the most serious shortcoming
llof the American navy at presen
vas its lack Of speedy aircraft car
. riers. He said vessels of this typ
were essential to a well rounde
feet. in view of the development
of naval aviation to the p0in
where aircraft probably would b
used in direct torpedo attack o
enemy battleships, in addition t
their use for scouting purposes an
in directing battleship fire.
II Bliss Testifies,
Washington, Jan. 12.-Should tn
United States call upon the ns
tions of the world for "a full, fre
and fair discussion of reduction Q
. armaments, the favorable respons
would be prompt and inevitable.
the house naval committee was t0l
today by General Tasker H. Blis'
former American representative o
the supreme war council at Pari,
"The nation that would come I
, such q conference and refuse I
, agree to any proposition looking I
. disarmament or at least Of the r.
duction of its military establish
ment," General Bliss said, "coul
be written down as the next Gel
1 many and the United States coul
make its plans accordingly"