The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-01-30
Navy Second in
Under-Age Tons
Comparison Of Sea Forces
Shows Strength of
United States.

WASHINGTON. - The United
States navy as OF November Is
ranked second in total "under-age"
combatant tonnage, but fifth in the
number of under-age ships, the de-
partment revealed in making public
photographs, as support for the con-
tention of Admiral Harold r. Stark,
chief of naval operations, that big
navy is needed to repel a possible
hostile coalition. In under-age ton
mage our navy on November Is was
smaller by about $50 tons than the
combined fleets OF Germany and
Japan. In number OF new ships
Japan and Germany had 305 units
compared with $50 for the United
States. -
The principal reason for our low
rating in total number OF combatant
ships is said to be the preponderant
number of submarines and destroy
ers in some Of the other navies
where such craft are of particular
value.
Possible Coalition Weighed.
1t is the possible coalition situa-
ton which stands out more than any
other one thing. In the event Japan
and Germany allied themselves and
attacked us simultaneously, devel-
opment envisioned in some quarters,
the United States would be able to
put on the sea modern under-age
units of total tonnage Of l,O2l ,270
tons as against combined tonnage
of such units for Japan and Ger
many of 1,02l Ash tons. or virtually
an equal amount.
In battleships the Japanese have
nine and the Germans FIVE, all I'M
der-age, total of Ia, the combined
tonnage being 354,070. In number
of such units the United States also
/ has IA.
In aircraft carriers the United
States has in commission five units
of an aggregate tonnage, all under.
age, Of l54 1000, as against six for
Japan of a combined tonnage o1
l13,470 and two for Germany of 3d..
500, or Isl $40 for a Japanese-Ger'
man coalition.
The United States has in commits
sion Is heavy and Is light cruisers
of total tonnage of 294,875 tons
while the Japanese have IL heavy
and Is light units Of 205, 355 ton
mage. The German strength is So,
600 tons, of which two units are 0
the heavy and six Of the light cate
CORY. The superiority of the Unite'
States, measured against German.
and Japan, is 33.720 tons.
Under-Age Dcstroyers.
In under-age destroyers tn
! American total is SIS units of an az
gregate tonnage of $3.50 tons a
against "a destroyers of a total ton
mage of 3.476 for Japan and 81, o
46, 466 tons for Germany. Add Ital.
and the tonnage is increased by 8
under-age destroyers of an aggre
gate tonnage of no. LOT tons.
In the matter of under-age sub
marine strength the United State
has 27 units of 41.120 tons Will
Japan has 81 of So, 432 and Germany
which features smaller units, has 7
of 81, 1882 tons. The combined sut
marine strength, measured in under
age units only. of Germany an
japan is 84,l90 tons, more tina
twice that of the United States.
New tonnage actually under cor
struction for the United States, ir
Guiding eight battleships, total
491, 1850 tons. The known Japanes
total, including four battleships,
268, $50 tons, while that OF Germany
including three battleships an
about a hundred submarines,
266, 1888 tons, combined tonnage e,
ceeding that for the United State
by more than $4,000 tons.
For Great Britain the buildin
total, including nine battleships,
730,095 tons, for France, includin
four battleships, 271 ,052 tons, an
for Italy, including four battleship'