New-York tribune., 1921-01-08
u. S. Navy Half
Size of British.
Double Japan's
Government Has Complete
Information Regarding
Sea Strength of Powers;
May Send Data to Senate
Building Plans Revealed
America Far Outclassed by
England in Submarines;
Nipponese Have but Few

NlppOnese Have but Few
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (By The AS
sociated Press). What officials be-
lieve to be complete information as to
the relative naval strength of the prin-
cipal world powers is now in possess
sion Of the American government.
Whether it will be presented to the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee in
connection with that committees con-
sideraton of proposals looking to world
disarmament has not been disclosed.
The American navy to-day, according
to this information, has more than
double the strength of the Japanese
navy, and this ratio will be maintained
even with the completion of the build
ing programs of the two countries.
The United States will be far superior
not only in capital ships, but also in de-
stroyers and submarines. Japan, how
ever, will have double the number of
battle cruisers, now possessing four
jecting, while the United States has
none completed and only six building.
Britain's Vessels
ships, of which Great Britain has
prcponderance in all classes over the
United States and Japan, the British
navy contains twcntysix battleships
carving at least ten guns each OF IL
inch caliher or larger and dlsplacing
10000 tons or more. The United States
has sixteen such vessels, Japan six,
France seven and Italy four. Great
Britain has no first line battleshlps
vUh
States has eleven. Japan seven, France
four and Italy four.
The British navy, pioneer IN the de-
velopment of the battle cruiser type,
still retains an easy advantage IN this
generally regarded indispensable class
of modern ships of war, with SIX first
line battle cruisers and four others
-classed as second line. The United States
has none. completed and six under con-
struction. Japan has four in service
and eight projected. France and Italy
have no battle cruisers built or build
ing.
U. S. Behind in Light Cruisers
In light cruiser strength Great
Britain leads all other nations by
large margin, with Japan second and
the United States poor third. The
British navy has forty-four light
cruisers in the first line, twenty-four
in the second and five under construc-
tion. Japan has six such vessels IN
service and nine under construction,
while the United States has three
ships butt as scout cruisers, desig
mated as light cruisers, of the second
line and ten light cruisers of the
Omaha class under construction.
France. has four first line light
cruisers in service and six building,
and Italy five in service and none
building. Several of the French and
Italian ships were obtained from the
former German navy.
Despite the United States great war
time destroyer building program. Great
Britain still maintains a preponderance
N both first and second line vessels OF
this type. In the first line classifca-
ton the British navy has 334 destroy
ers built and eleven building; the
United States, 260 in service and twelve
authorized, but not under construc-
tion; Japan, twenty seven built, fifteen
under construction and probably thirty
others authorized; France, ten COM
pleted and one building, and Italy, ten
in service and eleven authorized.
Strength in Submarines
Although the United States is Gree,
Britan's only serious competitor in tht
matter of submarine strength, there i:
u
preaching equality in this branch o1
naval strength. England has seventy
one first line submarines in service
sixty-six in the second line, eighteen
first line fleet submersibles and sever
second line, one cruiser submarine aul
two monitor type submersibles mount
ing 12-inch gun, and another build
ing. Against this great undersea fee
or 1855 vessels the United States coul(
oppose q total Of ninety eight subma
rlnes OF all types, divided into fifty
two first line and forty-four secon'
line short-radius craft, two feet sub
marines and no cruiser submersibles
with forty-six others of various type
authorized. The United States has non
of the great monitor submersible
mounting 12-inch turret guns, eithc
built or building.
Japan has no first line submarines O
any class, ten second line short radiu
vessels and no feet cruising or moni
tor types, although about forty sub
mersibles of all classes have been au
thorized. France has sixty-three sub
mari marines n,;,1,, in service, Of fl all types. an an
built and eight building.
A recapitulation Of the figure
shows that the January t. 1921
strength of the three principal nava
powers in first line major ships Chat
tleships and battle crusers) mountin
I guns of 13.5-inch caliber or greater
>. as follows:
Great Britain. % vessels, of 1923, ,s5
tons; United States, 10 vessels. Q
1o' 30 tors, and Japan, vessels, G
2S7,52o tons.
Inns compilation excludes capits
ships mounting guns Of less than 49,;
inch caliber because of their low rat
OF efficiency in modern battle.
Strength in 1923
The projected strength Of the sam
three powers at the end Of 1923