Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
SEA POWER MAIN DEFENSE
OF BRITAIN AND JAPAN
Each Country Dependent Upon Ocean
Trade in Peace and War
Alike.


of natural supply and her great area Of
outlet. The Yangtze Valley and her
Korean and Manchurian holdings are
capable of supplying Japan with coal,
iron ore, foodstuffs and other necessary
commodities of life and industry and
they give her an excellent entry into
the undeveloped, but potentially vast
market of China.
To the south, in the Indies, lie
rubber, cotton and oil. But whether
in the case of the mainland or the
Indies, Japan can draw from and carry
to by sea alone. These economic facts
bind Japan to Asia and to the sea as
individually as she is so bound in
geographical sense.
And they require, in Japanese opin-
ion, nationally self-suf1icient mercan-
tile marine, completely insured access
to these areas which sustain her eco
nomic life and completely insured
passage through the Japan, the yellow
and the China Seas.
Foreign policies are largely dictated
by geographic and economic considera-
tons and the foreign policies of Japan
are examples of this truiSm. Political
ly, as geographically and economically,
Japan is inseparably linked with Asia
and particularly with China. In fact
China is, in the last analysis, the alpha
and omega of Japanese foreign policy.
Looks to Chinese Market.
For as Japan gazes over the wide
Chinese market, she sees reflected there
in her economic future and the field
for the exploitation energies Of her peo-
pie. The security of her Asiatic sources
of raw materials and foodstuffs, the
assurance of favorable, If not doni-
nant position in the Chinese market,
and freedom of economic and political
action in Korea and Manchuria are, in
the eyes of Japan, absolute essentials
of policy.
The principal opposition to these poll
cies has been and is likely to be en-
countered in the nationalism of China,
the never-ending "drang mach Osten"
OF Russia for warm-water seaport, the
political and commercial interests Of
European powers and the open door"
policy of the United States. But II the
integrity of what she takes to be her
interests on the Asian continent and
her communications thereto can be
safeguarded, Japan can confidently face
the Pacific and the future in that basin.
Policy Defended in Wars.
These geographic, economic and po-
litical facts evolve themselves into the
basic policy underlying all Japanese ae-
ton with which We are here concerned:
namely, that Japan should have an &C.
tive hand In the development Of North
eastern Asia and that no other power
should be allowed to secure such posi-
ton or strength on the Asian continent
as to threaten Japanese interests there
on or Japan therefrom.
The character of this policy, exerted
over an area in which every power IS
deeply interested, requires, in the Japa-
nese mind, that Japan be prepared to
defend 1T by force. In so defending,
Japan has single-handedly fought two
wars, has engaged with allies in q third,
and 1t Is hardly to be doubted that she
would in the future as a last resort have
recourse to this action should that
policy again be threatened.
But the defense of this policy is de-
pendent upon local sea supremacy and
particularly upon the security Of Japan's
maritime communications to the coriti-
nent. Hence, from the national policy
tnere noWS, as a corollary, Japan's basic
naval policy, which might be phrased as
follows: To maintain a naval strength
which would be, in effect, superior to
any other such possible strength that
could be brought OF bear against her In
the western Pacific by any other power.
Great Britain.
In the middle of the seventeenth CEN
fury Charles II of England and Louis
XIV OF France were dickerinR over the
details OF a joint campaign which they
were planning against the Dutch. Louis
suggested that he might take command
OF the combined naval forces. Charles
replied with an expression which was
and is an artile Of faith of Britain and
the application of which has given to
her empire maritime supremacy
throughout the world.
Tnis rather naive reply was, cit Is
the custom of the English to command
the sea- For three centuries and 4
half, or since the defeat of the Spanish
Armada In 1888, the British have adj
nered rather strictly to this delightful
The British Empire stands out In his
tory as the classical exponent of sea
power and the outstanding example of
the ERECT OF the sea upon the course of
nations. BY the sea and its Command
Britain built her empire, and by the sea
she has sustained it.
The British seaman and trader have.
hand in hand, created the British En-,
pure as we know it today, while the
British navy ("that great bond of ern.
pire") and the British mercantile ma
rlne have been and are the Expression
OF BRUSH sea power and the instrii.
ments OF its maintenance. All British
naval policy is predicated upon these
facts.
Trade and Navy Linked.
furthermore, the close coordination
Wnlcn Brltatn has developed and prac-
Iiced between the two arms Of sea
poWer-foreign trade and maritiyne
strength-has had the effect of nnakinS
SrltiSh foreign policy and naval policy
TWO halves OF a whole, supplementary
eacn otner In every corner Of the world
ano with their centerS or gravity either
~ ene same area or within striking dis
tSn on eacn other. With q shift Of
the former, the latter takes I'M a coy
time lag. Sill''n
with these fundamentals in mind. let
US now examine the three broad factor
British naval policy.
IN the case OF all nations national
circumstances Of Ma
Iure IN which body polite is placed
largely determines the course which snv
gwen nation takes in its economic and
political life. STU
Inc tight insularity of Britain has
uriVen her people to the sea as inexor-
ABLY as the melancholy steppes OF Rms
sla has kept her peasants to the soiI
onoer TINS pressure and In ''fitS of alb
sent-mindedness," the empire was
wrought until now there is hardly a sea
n the world in which Britain e not
Detached From Europe.
As between the British Is;ss ard
Japan, We find many points Of geo.
graphical similarity For one tlfinr.
both blank on (and hence, from the sea
can controD a great portion OF their
respectively adjacent continents. In
5ritaln's case this has made her of Eu-
Iope and still. In a very real sense, de-