Evening star., 1942-11-22
u. 5. Had Inaccurate
Report on Strength
OF Japanese Navy
Foes Puzzled on Size
Now Because Of
Pre-Wur Errors
By the Associated Press.

Every important naval en-
gagement churns up a wave OF
speculation as to how the bal
ance of sea power. has been
altered between the Axis coun-
tries and the United Nations
This has been particularly true
of the recent United States VIC
tories over the Japanese Navy
No question is more vital among
the issues which will determine final
victory. And no question, in the
present state of secrecy in Axis and
Allied admiralties alike, Is more
battling.
Charts Were Wrong.
A year ago today it was possible
to sit down with set of charts and
tables and see how many each ma
tion had of the great and small
ships which, with their crews, make
up the measurable element of sea
power.
The charts showed a great edge
for America over Japan. The charts
were wrong.
Unhappily Japan won the pre-war
battle of espionage so completely
that almost everything Japans enc
mics believed they knew about her
navy was in some degree inaccurate
The timing and success of the
enemy's attack on Pearl Harbor was
perfect proof of the spy job the
Japs had done.
Discrepancy in Figures.
A single illustration will show the
extent of error OF the the-recoro
American information about Japan's
pre-war naval strength. The best
available data up to December 7 was
that the Japs had a total of 46
cruisers. In the II months of wal
since then the Allies in the Pacific
mainly the United States-have
officially reported the sinking of 3;
cruisers. That would leave the Jar
Navy With 13. But more than that
number have been damaged more
or less badly.
The explanation on which naval
experts agree is that this country did
not know how many cruisers Japan
had. Doubt having been cast on
one category, all the others have
since been suspect
Naval men in position to know say
therefore. that only the most general
conclusions can be drawn about the
present relative strengths and dis
tribuIon Of the worlds navies and
their adequacy for their jobs.
Here are the conclusions:
UNITED STATES.
In the Pacific. having repulsed
the Japs in the Coral Sea, at Mid
way and in the Solomon Islands
the United States Navy is supreme
In It's own territory which is roughly
east of the great ctrategic line
from the Western Aleutian Islands
through Midway to Samoa and
south Of the line from Samoa
through Guadalcanal to Port
Moresby. New Guinea.
In the Atlantic and elsewhere
1t has driven the subs almost en-
tirely out of American waters and
with Allied ships is delivering the
goods to the British, Russian, Afri-
can and other war fronts.
To do this job the United States
had at the start of the war a one
ocean Navy built and a two-ocean
Navy on the way, and they shaped
up in this manner:
Built--l7 battleships, carriers, 81
cruisers, III destroyers, l13 subma
rines. Total, 345.
Building Program.
Building-15 battleships, II car
riers, 54 cruisers, 1873 destroyers, "a
submarines. Total, 346
Lost in the war to date battle.
ship, 4 aircraft carriers. 6 cruisers
90 destroyers, submarines-total
80
The official pre-war building tota,
now possesses only historical IN
terest. Two battleships have beer
launched since Pearl Harbor ano
many ships in other categories. But
work has been stopped on plans fol
other battleships tC make way fol
aircraft carriers. already badly
needed in the Pacific. Carriers
built and projected total far more
than the number shown and the
same is undoubtedly true of all
types except battleships.
JAPAN.
The thrice badly defeated navy
now operates almost entirely in
home waters or waters close by
There it has not been challenged
and is still supreme. 1t at once de-
fends and depends on a highly in
tricate system of island bases from
which spreads an umbrella of land
based aircraft to shield the surface
ships. But the japanese navy was
SO badly battered in the Coral Sea
at Midway and among the Solomons
that it may even now be crippled
force incapable of recovering any
effective striking power before thi:
war ends.
Following is the Japanese nava,
picture based on what was reported
llere when the war started:
Fleet as Reported.
Bullt-l0 battleships, carriers
46 cruisers. 125 destroyers, II sub
marines-Total 260.
Buildings battleships, carriers
10 cruisers, II destroyers, 7 sub.
marines-Total 38.
Lost to date (possibly 81 bat
tleships, aircraft carriers. 33 (pos-
sibly 34) cruisers. 48 destroyers, 2s
submarines-Total 1T.
II is doubtful whether any of the
categories for the Japanese are rea.
sonably accurate except the list oi
ships they have lost, and Navy mer
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