THE POSITION IN JAPAN.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13548, 15 August 1914, Page 7

THE POSITION IN JAPAN.

Upon tlie declaration oi war between Britain and Germany. Japan declared that she was prepared to act in accordance with the spirit of hei alliance, with Britain. A cable from Tokio states that the Japanese Cabinet is now considering the question of intervening, on the ground that British possessions m Eastern Asia are in jeopardy. By the terms of the Anglo Japanese Alliance of 1905, which was ieiiewed in 1911, Britain.and Japan pledged themselves to preserve the common interests of all Powers in China by insuring her integrity and independence, as vyell as the principle of equal opportunities for the commerce and industry of all nations within her borders. They agreed, on the other hand, to maintain their own territorial rights in Eastern1 Asia and India, and to come to each other's armed assistance in the event of those rights being assailed by any other Power or Powers. The naval strength of Japan-is as follows: —Four Dreadnoughts, six battlc : cruisers, 10 pre-Dreadnought battleships,, nine armoured cruisers, 13 cruisers, 55 destroyers, 13 submarines, 63 torpedoboats. Two of the Dreadnoughts, the Settsu and Kawachi, • tarry 12 12-in p-uns while the Aki. and Satsuma have Foui- 'l2in and 12 lOin guns Five of the pre-Dreadnought battleships are about equal to "the British King Fdward class, mounting four 12in, with a heavy battery of 6in guns. The battle-cruisers Kongo aend Hiyel are very powerful vessels of their class, each carrying eight 14in and 16 6in >uns. The other four are less powerful than the .Australia, each carrying four 12in as their main armament, with secondary batteries of Bin,or 6in weapons. The Japanese Army comprises 19 divisions, and it is estimated *"<")£*{"; mobilisable war strength is 1,400,0UU men, of which tho >peace strength is about 280,000. Japan his -a -;ino auxiliary fleet, comprising 19 n'od^ liners, ranging from 5000 t0.20,000 tons These vessels, some of which are in the Australian rim, in time of emergency would carry 6in anri J/.----pounder ' guns.—"Noiv Zealand Herald.'-! .. . * .■