Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-03

highly necessary for success IN pattie.
Great Britain and Japan have not
been lax in recognizing the import
ance of these ten thousand tonners.
At the time of the arms parley, in
1921, England had "A light cruisers,
with a total tonnage Of 1SS.190. and
under construction with a tonnage or
"a ,OO0 The United States had COM
pleted non, but 10, of 1900 each, were
being built. Japan at that time had y
completed. with a tonnage or 40,b4o,
and 6 under construction, with ton
mage of 33,470.
Since December. 1921. England has
completed three 9,750-ton cruisers OF
the Hawkins class and two 7,55O'ton
ships of the Emerald class; has begun
construction of eleven lO,00O-ton
cruisers of the Cumberland class, and
has appropriated money for construc-
ton Of three additional cruisers-two
of 10000 tons each, and one of 5000
tons During that period, however,
ore of the new cruisers was wrecked
and eight of the original ~ were
scrapped
England Plans Nine.
Thus, on October /, 1926. England
had ST light cruisers with a total
tonnage of 1872. 290 built, building or
appropriated for. In addition. the
five-year building program of Great
Britain calls for nine more cruisers
three of 10000 tons and six of 5000
tons-to be laid down during the next
three years.
Since December. 1921. Japan has
brought it's cruiser strength to 10.
with a total tonnage of l02,005. She
has others with tonnage of $4,000
under construction at the present
time. She has scrapped none in the
meantime. The Japanese replacement
program, it is understood. calls for
the laying down during the coming
year of four 10,000-ton cruisers, and
the money for these is expected to
be appropriated by the Diet now in
session.
Since, the arms conference of the
United States has completed the ~
then under construction and has start
ed 2 additional. Money for
others has been appropriated, but the
contracts have not yet been let. Three
more have been authorized by Con-
gress under the eight-ship program,
approved December IS, 1924, but the
Budget Bureau to date has not recon-
mended appropriations for their con-
struction.
The 1924 act intended that con-
struction of the cruisers should De
begun by July of this new year. I'm
less something is done at once either
to appropriate for the cruisers or to
extend the time limit upon their con-
struction, as recommended by Presi'
dent Coolidge in his recent message,
the Navy will lose this trio of pa
per- cruisers by reason of expiration
of the authorization. This would be
a serious blow to advocates of a better
national defense.
Gun Power Comparison.
The claim is made by some that
tonnage comparisons do not measure
accurately relative strength, as the
British and Japanese lists contain
many ships of lighter tonnage than
those of the United States Navy. A
comparison of gun power is enl1ght-
ening, in this connection.
Great Britain's fleet of cruisers
built. building or appropriated for,
according to apparently reliable sta
tistics, can present a broadside of ITO
S.inch guns, as compared with Japan's
sc and Americas At. OF 7.5-caliber
guns Great Britain has Al and Japan
and America have none. OF 6-lnch
guns Great Britain has 1T, the
United States 100 and Japan none.
japan alone has 5.5-inch batteries,
comprising 112 guns, and Great Brit
ain has half a dozen 4-inch guns.
Anti-aircraft batteries are of vast
moment. Japan's cruisers boast eight
At guns, while the United States and
Great Britain have none. Great
Britain leads in 4-inch caliber, with
81; the United States is second, with
90. and Japan has none. OF the g.
inch type Great Britain has 81, Japan
48 and the United States 40.
Batteries Compared.
A comparison of the main batteries
of cruisers authorized but not appro-
priated for shows Great Britain with
60 guns of 8-inch caliber, Japan with
80 (under replacement program), and
the United States with q. Proposed
anti-aircraft batteries will give Great
Britain SO guns of 4-inch caliber,
the United States IL and Japan none.
The latter country, however, under
its replacement program, will have
16 4.7-inch anti-aircraft guns. while
neither this country nor England will
have any of this size.
Here is a summary of the light
cruiser situation of the three nations:
8. Great Britain. Japan.
ge. No. Tonnage. No. Tonnage.