Arizona republican., 1921-07-18
By Frederic j. Haskin

great sea powers of the world should | agree to cease authorizing huge sums | of money for building battleships. | America would remain in second place, with Great Britain first and Japan rather poor third. These positions would result from compile tion of the construction of ships al- ready contracted for or authorized. The present building programs of the nations will not be completed until about 1925. British losses dur ing the war, would put the United States very close to Great Britain in the matter of tonnage of ships of battle, the difference being only about 5o,000 tons. The ranking of the first three nations in ship tonnage when the present programs are com pleted would be. Great Britain, 1,700,000; United States, 1,650,0 ,000; Japan, S50.000-
 These tonnage figures include only first line er-dreadnaughts, battle cruisers, scout cruisers. de- stroyers. submarines and few spe- cial types of ships. The figures do not include second line battleships,' ships whose age or lower caliber ar mament has rendered them virtually useless as modern sea fighting ma chimes.
 The development of the dread naught class made all earlier vessels virtually useless. It was easy to demonstrate that one of these vessels, with greater speed and much longer range guns. could stand off and de- strpya whole fleet of the type of fighting ship which preceded it.
 Any comparison of national sea power must of course be relative. The introduction of the seaplane as a fighting unit has put new light on the whole situation, but many naval experts still are insistent that the true comparative values of the navies of the world must be comput- | ed from the tonnage of the ships of | the first line. with particular stress on the big gun vessels such as battle cruisers and super -dreadnaughts. | So-cailed second line ships still l have their uses in war. The block ading of ports on coast lines. certain l kinds of patrol duty, and the raiding of commerce carrying vessels has 1 been demonstrated to be an important part of maritime warfare. and there | are many vessels in the nayies oi the world we'll fitted for this kind of duty. This is particularly true of the | British navy.
 l On known figures, American big gun power apparently is greater thar l that of the British navy. However the number of 16-inch guns in ths 1 British navy is not known, and ma, be large enough to swing the balance in favor of England. Big guns in clude those of 12-inch bore and up.
 Three Navies Epitomized
 Latest figures show the strengtl of the British navy already built, t be as follows:
 First line battleships. 26: secon, line battleships, 20; first line battl cruisers, 6; second line battle cruis CTS, 4; first line cruisers, ?; secon' line cruisers. 20: first line light cruis CTS, A; second line light cruisers, "A destroyer leaders. 24; first line de stroyers, 334; second line destroyers AZ; first line submarines, II; secon line submarines, 66; first line flee submarines, IS; second line fleet sub marines, '; cruiser submarine. l monitor type submarines, ?. and air craft carriers, 6.
 In addition to this array of vessel Great Britain has the following ship now building:
 First line light cruisers, 5; de stroyer leader, l first line destroyer: II; first line fleet submarines, Il and monitor type submarine, 1.
 The total number of British ship in commission listed above is Il with an aggregate tonnage of 2,412 | 14b. mere are ob SllIS unueT con ,struction, aggregating 76,S90 tons.
 The American navy has in com mission the following vessels:
 First line battleships, Is; secon line battleships, Is; second line cruis CTS. 10; second line light cruisers, first line destroyers. 260; second liT destroyers, 21; first line submarine 43; second line submarines, A; fir line fleet submarines, ?.
 Listed among the ships buildin and authorized for the United Stat, navy are the following:
 First line battleships, II; first lii battle cruisers, 6; figst line ligl cruisers, 10; first line destroyers, 8 first line submarines, 51; first lii fleet, submarines, 4
 Roughly, the tonnage of the 4 American naval vessels listed as
 commission is 1,1S3.000: of the shi building, exclusive of the submarine the tonnage is given as S04009.
 Japan's present navy is given
 follows:
 First line battleships, 6: second Ii battleships, 4: first line battle crui CTS 4; second line cruisers, 5 fir line light cruisers, 6; second Ii light cruisers. 1; first line destroyel 27; second line destroyers, 12; secoi line submarines, 12.
 The figures given for the shi
 projected and buildings for the Japa