JAPAN'S BIG NAVY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2030, 17 August 1920, Page 7

JAPAN'S BIG NAVY.

ADMIRAL DISCOVERS NEW JUSTIFICATION, TO HELP BEITAIN AGAINST U.SA. That Japan must build up a navy strong enough to enable her to maintain balance in caso of war between the United States and Great Britain is the argument advanced by Vice-Admiral Tetsudaro Sato of the Japanese Navy. The discussion of the matter of the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty has been carried,on at some length in the Japanese Press, and this has brought out the declaration that in 1925 the British fleet will be outnumbered and outclassed by that of America, the conclusion being generally reached that for this reason Japan must have a navy strong enough to be a deciding factor. "It is hardly necessary to state that the biggest powers, after the World War, arc Great Britain and America," says Admiral Sato. "Indeed, without their friendly co-operation, peaco could not be obtained cither in Europe or in the Pacific. Fortunately, friendly relations now prevail between them, and the Pacific enjoys its traditional tranquillity. But who can tell how long the atmosphere will remain calm? Should any involved question arise between them, it, may well lead to an armed clash. The results to humanity would then be more disastrous than the outcome of the recent war, and the Far East would be swallowed up in the calamitous whirlpool. "Upon Japan, who has to safeguard pence in this part of the world, a most important duty would devolve, namely, mediating between the two nations, and should she possess no real power with which to back her up as such mediator, she might easily fail. If, on the contrary, she had sufficient strength behind her, neither of the two nations would take any important step without first listening to her protests, and thus the world would be spared a war unprecedented in scale and violence. Such, indeed, would be the beneficial effect of Japan ]b possessing a strong navy, and for that reason, if for no nother, Japan must expand her navy." The Admiral then makes the following comparison between tho American and Japanese navies:—

In addition, America haa, says the Admiral, about 300 destroyers of about 1000 tons each, while Japan has only 15. "If critics of Japan denounce her naval programme," proceeds the Admiral, "what should they say about, those of Great Britain and America? Will either of these atop building naval vessels? The prosperity of Great Britain is due to her navy, and if Japan is to be prosperous she must build a strong navy, too. Japan's navy must be strong enough to have the deciding vote in any quarrel between America and Great Britain." Much the same view is taken by the Japaneso Press, which holds that the British and Japanese navies should be pooled for control of the Pacific.

Battleships. Amerlcn. Japan. New type , . .. .. »«9 9 Under construction .. .. 10 4 Old type 2:1 6 *Tlie new type ini tludes dreaduou glits and others. Battle Cruisers. America, Japan. ...-,. 0 4 Under construction .. .. fi 0 Old t\pc .. .. ., 9 3 Cruisers. America. Japan. . .. .. 23 3l Under construction .. .. 10 5 Destroyers. America. Japan. . .. .. 72 90 Under construction or contemptation 270 0