New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-01-25
JAPAN INCREASES
STRENGTH navy
Builds Eight Cruisers, Most
Powerful b World


eight 1O,O00-ton cruisers called for
by the Japanese navy's current
building programs, the Maya Is now
under construction in the big Kawa-
saki dockyard at Kobe.
A dozen Shinto priests, in white
robes and carrying branches of the
sacred 'sakaki" tree, emblem of
sacramental purity. recently per-
formed the simple publication rites
accompanying the laying of her
keel, designed to ward Oft evil in
fluences and beseech the blessing
and protection of the national gods
for this instrument of empire.
These rites of an ancient cult
seem a little out Of harmony with
the modernity OF the Maya and her
sisters. but they help ensure the
human morale that must make
these machines effective.
The Nachi. whose details are to
be followed in all her sisters. has
. speed OF 50 knots, a designed
horsepower of 10000 and carries
10 eight-inch guns. She is believed
to embody many new features Of
naval design, but these are a we'll
guarded secret. The glimpse OBJ
tanned OF her at the Yokohama ma
vas review showed long. low lines
drawn for speed. She carries a
fighting top more like that of = bat
tleship than of a light cruiser; tur-
\. i-L hNv
fore and aft; her whole aspect Is
formidable. She has a crew of 700
men.
The Nachi is to be Joined In COM
mission within a few weeks by her
next sister, the Myoko. now under
Eoing~her trials off the Yokosuka
naval base. where she was built.
The Haguro and Ashigara. from
the private dockyards of Mitsubi-
shi at NaEasak and Wawasaki 1t
Kobe, respectively, were launched
last spring and should reach COM
pletion about the end of 1929. Next
come the Atago and Takao. still on
the ways at the naval arsenals of
Kure and Yokosuka and due for
launching this year. The Chokai
Was laid down at Nagasaki last
April and now the Kawasaki build
ers have the Maya in hand.
On the best authority 1t is learn
ID that this eight-cruiser program
Is the only one now contemplated
by the navy department It still
has three years to run, as II will
not be completed until early in
1892. At the time tho American
house Of representatives. passed the
1S-cruiser bill = year ago. Admiral
Keisuke Okala, minister Of the
navy. said Papan had no intention
Of framing q reply" program. The
budget for 1880 contains no ap.
propriations for any naval construc-
ton except the program already in
HIND.
The official yapaness position b
that tho Nachi class are merely re-
pa1cem ents for old Cruisers now be-
coming obsolete and are nscessar ~
to maintain the balance Of the navy
~ an instrument Of imperial Dc.
Tense.
This will give Japan In 1888 4
navy Of six superdreadnaughts
four battle cruisers. - cruisers, in
GLIDING - first class (more than
1000 tons) ana II second class (un-
der 1000 tons). 81 first clasu de-
stroyers. 20 second class Destroyer
and IS submarines. This does not
include ships which will have be-
come obsolete by 1892.
The Nachi and her sister ships
are costing each about SIS, 900, 900.
A noteworthy feature OF these YES
sells. AZ Of the new cruisers OF all
tho naval powers, IL the tremen-
dous horsepower. The Nachi's $780,
600 horsepower IL greater than, that
of any battleshtp afloat, and only
four naval craft in the world. eli
Of special designs. exceed 1.-THE
American aircraft carriers Lexing-
ton and Saratoga, 10000; the Brit
ish battlecruiser Hood, $4,000. and
the japanese aircraft carrier Aka.
q, 1880.
To compare with the Nachi class
the United States has the new TO-
coo ton cruisers Pensacola and Salt
Lake City. with designed horse
power Of 1o7,5o0. speed OF 32.5 to
80 knots and a main armament of
10 eight-inch guns. Six others of
similar design are to follow these.
Great Britain has the Kent and her
four sisters. 10000 tons. 10000 de-