JAPAN'S NEXT WARSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 2

JAPAN'S NEXT WARSHIP.

I DREADNOUGHT TO BE BUILT IN ENGLAND. Tho Japanese Government has just • signstj, a contract with Messrs. Viekers, Sons, and Maxim, of Barrow-in-Furness, for the building of a now Dreadnought. The new vessel wiii have a;displacement of between 27,000 and 28,000' tons, and is to cost about two and a half millions sterling. It is stipulated in the contact that every portion of the warship, including hull, armour plate, armament, gnnmountings, etc., is to be built, in England by the Viekers firni, who are under obligation not to sublet any portion of the contract. The English Press Association understands that by placing this contract in England the Japanese Government wishes to mark its appreciation of British-work-manship in shipbuilding, and to give expression in practical form to the sincere feeling with which it regards the aiiiance between Great Britain arid Japan. The extent of this l'eeling may be gauged from the fact that now, after the recent launch of tho two Japanese Dreadnoughts, Kowachi and Settsu, Japan has five yards standing idle where she can herself build Dreadnoughts in every detail. These are the three Imperial Government yards at Yokohama, ICure, and Saseho, and the two [ private .van's of Ivowasaki at Kobe and the llitsubishe Shipbuilding at Nagasaki. The last Japanese warships built inEng- ■ land were completed in 1005.. They were the Katori, built by Viekers, and the Ivasliima. built bv Sir \V. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. Since then the following warships have all been built in Japan:—'"Pre Dreadnoughts: Tsuknba' and Ikoma (each with four 12in. and twelve Gin. guns) and Ibnki and Kurama (each with four 12in. nnd ten Sin. guns). Dreadnoughts: Satsuma and Aki (each with four 12in. and twelve lOin. guns) and Kownchi and Settsu (each with twelve 12in. guns).