A JAPANESE FLEET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8465, 2 June 1916, Page 3

A JAPANESE FLEET.

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

WITH

NUMEROUS AIRCRAFT.

COPENHAGEN, Feb. 22

The German, newspapers quote the Italian papers or the statement that tho Japanese Fleet safely arrived in the Mediterranean j' having with it a great number of aircraft.—Exchange Telegraph Company. Comenting on the report in the "Daily Telegraph," Mr Archibald Hurd wrote-: —

It was reported many weeks ago that the Japanese Government had determined to send men-of-war into the Mediterranean in order to help to maintain the safety of communications between East and West. Now that the enemy knows all about the matter, as indicated by a message from Copenhagen, there is no reason why this dramatic development should, not bo discussed.

Our ally has almost as great an interest in the free passage from Europe to the Far East as wo have, with our anchors in Egypt, Aden, India, New Zealand, Australia, and elsewhere. The Mediterranean is the life-line of our Empire, as it is the life-line of Japan's profitable commerce with this part of the world. , ,

According to the "Jijo Shimpo," .of Tokio, the ships selected for this duty are the armoured 'cruisers Kasuga and Tokiwa, and the protected cruiser Chitose. The Italian papers report that the big ships have also brought with them "a great number of aircraft." As the Germans know, to their cost, aircraft, can play no small part in putting down tho latest phaso of piracy on the high seas. An Effective Rejoinder. This constitutes Japan's effective rejoinder to Germany's efforts to sow discord between the members of the Grand Alliance. Several months ago two Japanese liiiers were sunk in the Mediterranean, with tho usual callous disregard for human life. The owlish I enemies, no doubt, assumed that it was a long way for Japanese men-of-war to come to exact punishent and to provont any recurrence of such outrages, and that, in fact, they had nothing to fear from these people in tho Fur East, whom they profess to despise! Shades of Frederick the Great, that it should : ■have como to this pass! But Japan has j many scores to •settle with Germany, which always stood in tho way of tin's rising Power, attempting by every insidious., and underhand method to inter- 1 fere with its development.

When the detailed history of tho prevsent world struggle comes to be written without such restraint as must be observed in face of the enemy, it will be discovered that the European nations which are fighting for freedom owe a debt of deep gratitude to the Japanese. Tho Government at Tokio might well have argued that our quarrel was none of their business; that they had no wish, to become entangled iii the Eurowean troubles; that in any case the Treaty of Alliance was not intended to apply to anything "that happened outside the Far East—which is a fact, of course; and, in short, that they could render good service by maintaining an attitude of benevolent neutrality. Had Japan made such a stand, wo should have had no cause of complaint. The Mikado's Government, however, did nothing of the kind. From the first, offers of co-oysration by land and sea .wore, made in; order to drive the Germans mit <).r..tlie'-Pa.ci(ic, nnd those offers were inUrlo good. Japanese officers and men htid down their lives on behalf ■of tho cause in which we are fighting. Nowhere in the Far East does the German flag fly to-day.

Experience of PJava'i War. Let thoso facts bo remembered at a moment when, if the Japanese and Italian papers may be believed, this great country, with its pressing internal problems, is stretching out her hands across. the world in order to assist in making secure tho route between East and West for ships with their freights of defenceless men and women and innocent children. Japan has ranged herself definitely against the Attilas of tho sea. Tho German Emperor used at one time to shout about the Yellow Peril; tho world has since realised what is the real peril which threatens civilication.

Now, according to the Italian papers, tho Japanese naval contingent has "safely arrived in tho Mediterranean" and the exponents of "Kultur" will wish they had shown more restraint in nursuit of the policy of frightfulness, and had at least spared Japanese passenger ships. In seamanship, in war craft, and in guile, the Germans are no match for Japanese seamen. The Japanese had already graduated in. war beforo tho fleet of the nouveau richo nation of Europe—with the manners of the nouveau richo —had a navy of any account. They had a greater and more intimate experience of war than any other seamen in the world: The Japanese have the mentality which makes for success in war. Behind all their other sterling qualities lies a patriotism beside which German patriotism is ;a. hothouse plant, a tender growth which is already shrivelling, as tho newspapers of tho German Empire and i tho riots in the streets reveal. I have visited many Japanese men-of-war from time to time, and havo always realised that tho delicate courtesy of officers and men is associated with a fighting edge which it would bo dangerous to turn against oneself. Now the Germn.ns, the modern and bloodthirsty pirates whoso deeds havo sickened the civilised peoples "of tho world-, 'will havo an opportunity of realising how these r-.oinoamo.ns of ours in arms—among the most experienced and most skilful seaiTi.PTi of tho age—can deal with outlawry at sea. The Japanese Ships. Tho Kasuga, Tokiwa, vau\ Chi Lose, tho ■ threo principal ships which arc to represent the Japanese Navy, in the Mediterranean, merit, attention: — Tho Kasuga was building in Italy for Argentine in 1903, when tho war in tho Far East broke out, and was purchased v.-it-h her sister, tho Nisshin, by Japan, making a. dramatic voyage to the Far East-. "She is of 7G27 tons displacement, has a speed of 20 knots, a 6in. armoured belt, and four Sin. guns in • pains in turrets, in association with 14 (Jin. quickfirers. She has five, torpedo tubes:. The-Tokiwa. is >in older, but larger, ship, displacing 976TJ ton.s. Sho i\s British built, having been constructed at Elswoek. Sho ha* a. spood of 23 knots, in provided witli a 7.in. armoured belt, and h-.us an armament .similar to the Kasuga.. Tho Chttoso ha.s no si do armour, but :i, deck from I.7in. to Afi'm. thick. She was hud down at Philadelphia in 1893,

k and displaces 4760 tons. Her guns include two Bin., with 10 4.Tin. quickfirers, and she has four torpedo tubes, sill abovo water.

All threo ships, it ■will bo scon carry the Bin. gun, discharging a shell weighing 2101b., with sufficient energy at the muzzle to raise—according to the length (40 to 45 calibres)—73l9 to 10,226" •■ tons a foot. The Japanese anticipated the main lesson of the war, and attached great importance to long- | range guns. Such aro the heavily-gunned ships which, according to reports from Tokio, are about to assist, with tho support of aircraft, in putting down the new piracy in the Mediterranean. Future developments will be watched with interest. Never before have Japanese men-of-war cleared for action in Eurooean waters, and the Germans will no doubt havo reason to regret that they invited, by their methods of barbarism, this intervention on the part of tho Japanese. ;