The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-14
IJAPAN'S NAVY TO.
BE CLOSE SECOND.
TO THAT OF u s IS.
ANNOUNCED PLAN
No Reductions Will Be
Considered In Plans AS
Now Provided Which
Will Make Japan First
Class Naval Power,
Able To Grapple With
This Country On Sea.

Toxic. April 14.--Japans present
naval program which, say officials.
will be completed whatever may be
arranged with foreign powers as to
future curtailment means more than
the creation of the so-called eight and
eight units. The phrase Eight and
eight signified, according to the Of
tcial ciews here. that Japan will
build until she has eight first class
battleships and eight first class battle
cruisers but it also signifies another
eight namely, that when one Of
the above units reaches the age of
eight years. that unit passes TO the
second line, 20 lie replaced imme-
mediately by Il new ship of the latest
design.
1t is pointed out therefore that ia
pans future navy, as at present out
lined, will have sixteen first class
| fighting ships of the latest conStruc-
tlcn as we'll as numerous ships OF
the second line to which the warshipe
now building will fall when period
of eight years makes substitution
necessary. Hence, adherance to the
eight and eight plan means CON
stant building and constant big ex-
penditure 1t is this continuing out
lay to which ex-Minister Yukfo takes
objection in his campaign for an in
ternatiCnal agreement for naval re-
striction on the ground that the bud
get involved will prove disastrous for
his country.
! A comparison of the strength of the
navies of Japan and the United
States shows, according to the view
neld here. that in 1921 Japan will
have one fewer major ship, two more
light cruisers, 220 fewer destroyers
and e'even fewer submarines than the
United States. BY the end of 1928, if
the programs of the respective COM
tries are carried out, the Uniteg
States will lead Japan by sixteen in
major warships. She will have 29l
more destroyers and "a more sub
marines, hut on the other hand the
American light cruisers will fall be-
hind Japan to the number OF three
BY the end OF 1927 Japan will hav
two fewer big ships, three more light
cruisers and AZ fewer destroyers. Ja-
pan, is however, devoting herself to
submarines and 1t is expected that
by 1927 she will beat the United
States in submarines to the numbc:
OF SO.
If the United States does not start
Il new program after 1923 (either re-
placing old ships transferred to tho
second line" or augmenting her
fleet) Japan, it is held here, after big
expenditures and continuous build
Ing at her maximum capacity will in
1927 only lie in practically the same
relative position as she is today, 1921.
If, on the other hand, the Ur1.ed
States after 1923 adopts new build
ing program of only replacing the
ships going into the "secoad line
which is regarded as not only a rea-
sonable assumption, but almost a GER
tainty, then, it is the contention here,
that Japan in 1927 will occupy the
same relatively weak position that
she will have in 1923.
Those favoring Japan's entering an
international restriction agreement
express the opinion that Japans
plans are laid without any thought of
the United States policy after 1928
And further. that il Japan seriously
favored or desired disarmament for
herself she would take the lead in
trying to force the world to accept it,
Immediately, rather than sit back and
Permit the United States and Great
Britain to take the initiative
Appearances here indicate that ia
pan is doing everything to expedite
her building program. Admiral Kato
the minister of marine, recently told
the Diet that the following in Eng
land of the principle of the division
of work made it possible to. build
more quickly and at the minimum ex-
pense.
Heretofore it has been the policy
Of the Japanese navy to make each
navy yard as complete unit as possi-
lie, capable of doing all manner of
work. When the policy Of rapid naval
expansion was adopted it was found
that such yards were not capable Of
quick expansion. In the meantime,
private manufacturing facilities have
developed to such an extent that the
navy can now depend on some OF them
to supply much Of its required ma
terials. 1t therefore is considered
probable here that the British policy
cited by the minister OF the navy has
been adopted by the Japanese navy
department.
The almost simultaneous establish
ment of the new naval gun factories
at Hiro and Saseby, the naval arse
nal In Sunoki, which includes S0Cl
acres Of land, the Mltsubishi torpedo
factory near Nagasakim. the air