The New York herald., 1922-03-26
ny GRAZER scHoRNsTHEIME
Special Dispatch TO TIE New YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c.. March rs.

Special Dispatch TO TIE New YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c.. March rs.
IL is estimated that while the arms
conference has saved the Japanese
Government approximately s5O0.0o0,-
900, it has thrown about 100000 skilled
Japanese laborers out OF work. Eight
capital ships were under construction
when the naval treaty was signed.
While these ships have not as yet
been torn from the stocks, 1t is under
stood, all work on them has ceased.
However, the construction of ligLt
cruisers, destroyers, fiotilla leaders,
submarines and other types is being
carried along rapidly, and 1t is sup
posed that in these types the original
big navy plans will be carried out in
their entirety.
Also. it is the plan OF the naval staff,
and 1t is understood that this plan is
approved in the Diet, to increase the
navy in every possible way under the
limitations prescribed in the treaty.
While the United States reduces its
$4,000 men. the Japanese propose to
increase their naval personnel, it is
said. from $4,000 to 100000.
Basing facilities will be increased,
all the dock yards being expanded.
New fortifications will be undertaken
within the unrestricted areas and
throughout the restricted areas the
great system of wireless communica-
ton will be expanded, because of its
naval advantages.
Problems for Naval stan.
Unknown to any one save themselves,
the Japanese had laid down two great
battleships in addition to the ships ]
have mentioned in previous articles In
this paper. They are the Xii and
Dwarf, displacing $4,000 tons. to have a
speed of "a knots and to carry a battery
of twelve 16 inch As caliber guns in
four triple turrets. They would have
been turbine driven and oil fired and
would have had exceptionally heavy
armor. making them absolutely inn
pervious 70 aircraft bombs. torpedoes
and long range shell fire. They were
being built at the>Kure and Yokosuka
navy yards and would have been the
most powerful warships in the world
had they ever been completed.
The other four ships on the stocks are
understood to be battle cruisers. namely
the Akagi, Amaei, Atago and Takao
displacing close to $4,000 tons, and these
were TO have had speed of 29 knots
and a battery of ten 16 inch As calibei
guns. The other two ships which were
under construction were the battleshipf
Kaga and Tosa. of $4,000 tons displace-
ment "a knots and carrying ten 16 inch
As caliber guns. 1t is understood that
these last two vessels were well or
their way to completion. having had
their construction rushed, and would
have been launched in hope OF their re-
tention under the naval treaty. Now
they present a problem to the naval
staff. Whether to destroy them by salv-
age methods or gunfire or TO convert
them into huge oil tankers or passenger
ships is under consideration.
1t Is possible that the baitle cruisers
Akagi and Amagi may be lightened e
$4,000 tons and completed as aircraft
carriers. How far plans have gone ir
this direction is unknown. However
the fact has been brought out that a.
the conference Il vas agreed to con-
SlutT tHe new JdpftF'ot ttiAlici
Hosho as OF an governmental type and
not to include her ia the tonnage totals
for Japan's aircraft carriers. This
means that the Japanese may built
this full allotment and IL is understood
that plans to do so are under way.
Probably all that will he done with tn,
empty ribs OF the battleships Xii and
Dwarf and the battle cruisers Takac
and Atago will be to scrap them on a
salvage basis. The uncompleted guns
for the new ships will be finished and
used in the coastal Notifications. II Il
understood.