UNFIT FOR THE SEA?

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 298, 28 September 1938, Page 9

UNFIT FOR THE SEA?

NEW JAPANESE WARSHIPS Strange tales to the effect that some of Japan’s latest warships are unseaworthy are circulating London, says a message to the “New York Timtes.” Lieutenant-Commander Kenneth Edwards pays atention to the by writing in the “Sunday Times” that it would appear the Japanese naval designers have been losing sight of tins all-important factor in their desire to mount more guns than are carried on equivalent ships of other navies. The first indication of this tendency, he says, was given when the torpedo boat Tomoduru capsized in a heavy sea during the naval manoeuvres in 1936. “It is not known,” he continues,, “that all six cruisers of the Magami class of 8500 tons have had one or their main three-gun turrets removed in order to give the ships sufficient stability. These cruisers were originally designed to carry fifteen 6.1-inch guns, eight sinch anti-aircraft guns, and twelve torpedo tubes. None joined 1 the fleet at the projected time, and 'Some have been delayed in the dockyards for more than a year. “British designers have calculated that on the 9000-ton cruisers of the Southampton class they could only carry twelve 6-inch guns, eight 4-inch anti-aircraft guns, and six torpedo tubes ' * According to Leiutenant-Command-er Edwards, Japan is now experimenting with gyrostabilisers in order to overcome the unseaworthiness of her vessels, and gyrostabilisers weighing 300 tons apiece* are being fitted on the aircraft carriers Hiryu and Soryu, each of about 10,000 tons. These Japanese carriers have a beam of 66 feet compared with the 94-foot beam of _ the new Brisish carrier Ark Royal which is of approximately tho same length—6B9 Leiutenant - Commander Edwards holds that this device will not beeffec- . tive aS many British engineers hold the view that no effeient ship hull could he built to withstand the internal strain of a 300-tou gyrostabiliser. Many Americans as well as British, experts have believed for years that Japan was going too far in putting heavy armament on her ships while, at the same time, slimming tlieir lines in order to get great speed, says the “New York Times.” If the reports about the unseaworthiness of tho 8500-ton cruiser class should prove true to British and American naval men would be relieved, as they have shown strong con- , cern over tho possible superiority of the Japanese crews.