The New York herald., 1921-12-18
FRENCH NAVY STAND
IS NEW IN POLICY
They Based Their Course 25
Years Ago on Torpedo Boat
as Chief Weapon.
By eraser soHoRNsrHE1MER.

By eraser sCHORNsTHEIMER
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
I New York Herald Burenu.
Washington, ID. c.. Dec. II. =
Frances claims are shown clearly to
be utterly opposed to her naval history
of the last twenty-five years. At pres
ent France possesses little more than
100000 tons of modern ships, but lack
ing in modern design. The claim that
France would be equal to or stronger
than Japan at present had 1t not been
for the war is hardly credible.
Twenty-Five years ago the French
based their naval policy on the mis-
| taken idea that the torpedo boat was
the weapon of the future. AS they con-
centrated In ships of this type they were
passed first by the United States. then
by Germany and finally by Japan.
France didn't want to spend any money
on her navy The torpedo seemed to
offer the cheapest way out and so 1t was
! adopted-and France paid In the last
war to some extent for her economy.
In 1912 the French began on policy
to bring up Frances strength from the
| fifth naval power to the second. Since
.hep Che United States, Germany and
japan provided for further ships which
would have relegated France to the
fifth naval power even If she had COM
pleted this programme, which she has
not OF course Germany has been re-
moved as competitor and France
takes the position as the fourth naval
Power In the world and, at present
the second naval Power in Europe.
Almost Beyond Belief.
But TO demand $1,000 tons of capital
ships, This is almost beyond belief
In order to reach this figure France
would have to build and maintain five
new IS. 900 ton ships at a. cost of about
! 5000, 900, 900. And this expenditure
would come at a time when all nations
are reducing their sea forces and while
France Is head over heels in debt.
| In fairness to that nation frank
discussion of her 1912 project-not pro-
| gramme--is necessary. Twelve SHIPS
were 10 be built under this project and
three of them were laid down In that
wear. On January 1, 1913, there was
not a. single modern dreadnought type
battleship In the French navy. At that
| time there were two such vessels in the
Japanese navy. During the year 1913
only two modern battleships were COM
pleted for the French. They were the
Jean Bart and the Courbet. of $4,000
tons. twenty knots and carrying twelve
12-inch guns. These ships are about
equal In power to those which already
existed in the Japanese service.
In 1918 the Japanese completed the
battle cruiser Kongo. os $4,000 tons,
twenty-seven knots and carrying eight
t4-inch guns The single Kongo, minus
the other two modern Japanese battle
ships. the Settsu and Kawachi. could
have taken the entire Frnech battleship
force and given 1t a severe pounding
with very little trouble. That same yea,
the French laid down four other battle
ships of the Normandie class. They
were to have displaced around $1,000
tons. had speeds of around twenty-thre,
knots and were to have carried twelve
134-inch guns. In other words they were
to have been French interpretations Of
our Pennsylvania class, carrying twelve
14-inch guns
When War Came.
War came the next year. During 1914
France completed for sea the remaining
two modern battleships of the Jean Bart
class. the Paris and the France. Work
continued on the three battleships of the
Bretagne class. They displace about
24,500 tons, as we figure tonnage. have
a speed of twenty-one knots and carry
ten 13.4-inch guns. And so in 1914
France had four modern capital ships
carrying 12-inch guns, while Japan
possessed two battleships carrying L.
inch guns and two battle cruisers car
rying 14-inch guns
In 1915 two of the battieships of the
Bretagne class, carrying ten 134-inch
guns. were completed for sea In japan
two more battle cruisers OF the Kongo
class, the Haruna and krishima, car
rying eight 14-inch guns, were com
pleted as was the dreadnought Flu So. OF
$4,000 tons, 23 knots. carrying twelve IA
inch guns. About this time the french
were relieved of their duties In the
Adriatic by the Italians. and so there
was even less reason for french indus
trial forces being taken from the army
to rush the navy.
In 1916 the final ship OF the Bretagne
class, the Lorraine, was completed for
sea. No capital ship was completed
during that year by the Japanese, but
their advantage IN existing ships was
stil very great In spite of this single
addition TO the French navy. In 1917
not single ship was added to the
French service, while two big battle-
ships OF the Flu So class went to sea
under the Rising Sun of Nippon.
Since that time Japan has completed
three more very large battleships and
France none. inc vessels of the Nor
mande class being dormant on tho
stocks. The present condition of these
vessels is-the Normandle launched and
in fair way toward completion and
the other battleships launched. though
possibly not so well a-ong as the Nor
mandie. One OF these ships. however.
the Bearn. 1t is understood. is to be
converted into an aircraft carrier.