The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1921-11-08
JAPAN,s WAR STRENGTH

sincere in stating that Japan does not
want war with the United States.
No nation in its right mind wants war
with anybody. .os---.~-..- ..-rr'A'r'
At the same time, it would be folly for
us to underrate Nippon as possible and
formidable foe.
Roughly speaking, Japan has navy "a
bout half the size of ours, but our sup
eriority is heavily offset by strategic con-
ditions which favor her.
According to the figures Of Hector By
water, the English naval critic, Japan has
now the most powerful ship OF war in the
world the Nagato which is 1900 tons hea-
yier and three knots faster than our I'm
est war ship the Maryland The Mutsu,
the sister ship of the Nagato. is almost
ready for sea.
The Nagato displaces $500 tons. Next
! year the japanese will add the Kaga and
4 Tosa, displacing 10000 tons, with twelve
sixteen-inch guns
Before the end Of 1924 she is to have
the fast battle cruisers, Amagi, Agagi.
Atago and Tatao, of the same size and
armament of six battle cruisers we are
building.
Her Eight Eight program contemplate
es the building of fifteen more dread
naughts, five of which are under con-
struction.
The United States has approximately
twenty dreadnaughts as against Japan's
ten, and fifteen capital ships are build
ing,
We have heavy superiority in destroy
ers and FLYING boats. Mr.. Bywater points
IL L., ,IDraao
as against forty-five Japanese subs. the
latter nation is at work on vast Submar-
inc program which contemplates the
building of $50 undersea boats, each with
a cruising radius of 900 knots. Only
sixty-three of our undersea boats are off
cially classed as sea-going. the remainder
being designed for coast defense; hence
useless in Japanese war.
Mr.. Bywater also seems to think we
are lacking in swift scout cruisers.
In other words, while the japanese
navy is pronouncedly inferior in appar-
ent strength, they have built their ships
with the definite purpose of war with
the United States. We have built with
only general utility in mind
The Japanese, of course, in facing the
possibility of naval war with the Unit
ed States, are bought up by the memory
of the battle Of Tsushima Straits, when
they destroyed the Russian navy, which
had sailed from the Baltic to give them
combat as we would have to make the
long voyage from this coast.
'''The Japanese themselves" says Mr..
Bywater in the Atlantic Monthly, shave
never disguised their confidence in the
impreganability of their position visa
Wis the United States.
"Japan having seized the Philippines
according to their predictions) would
revert to the defensive and calmly await
developments.
eff her opponent (the United States)
SO far flouted the rudiments of strategy
as to dispatch fleet to the war zone.
relying on a 5000-mile line of communi-
cation with Hawaii, the Japanese would
resort to war of attrition by means Of
submarines and minelayers working from
Numerous bases in the South Sea Islands
and off the coast of Japan.
"Then, when at length the American
fleet, harassed and weakened by inces-
SAINT submarine attacks and with its
stock of fuel reduced to low ebb, pro-
posed to return home, the japanese battle
fleet in full strength would sally forth
at the psychological moment and repeat