The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1932. NAVAL AFFAIRS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1932. NAVAL AFFAIRS.

The question of naval armament which is being discussed at present among the Great Powers is made the mono difficult of settlement by the attitude taken up by Japan, which in a recentcable message set out her views on limitations, which are of an extensive nature as affecting the particular conditions and position. Ait the present time it is -stated that the Japanese navy is one of the most efficient fleets afloat. Under the, Treaty of Washington heavy reductions were affected in th& Japanese fleet, the only two post-war ships which Japan retained being the Nagato and Mutsu, each of 33,5 CO 1 tens and each equipped with 16in guns and 5.5 in. guns. Under the Treaty of London the' battlecruiser Hiyei is being scrapped. To offset Itho-se reductions Japan lias followed the example set by the United States in modernising its older battleships and battle-cruisers and the extreme elevation of the hea-vy guns has been increased to thirty degrees, thus giving them increasing range. The naval flying force is also being increased so as to bring it into line with the United States force, which at present is superior to it. The Japanese force, nevertheless, is very strong, 472 machines being employed in coastal defence and 329 being carried on warships: Eight cruisers of the Washington type of 10,000 tons have been completed' recently. Each carries ten Bin guns, with four aeroplanes apiece. The Japanese destroyer force- is extremely efficient and admirably trained, and consists of eighty- ! five modern destroyers ? with twentythree older -and smaller boats. The most powerful destroyers resemble the British flotilla leaders and are of about 1700 tons. They steam thirty-five knots and carry batteries of six sin guns. As for submarines, Japan has twenty'Six ocean-going subme-r----sibiles of iootj tons and over cither built or building. The suggestions made in the, Japanese proposals ot recent d-ate are in favour of curtailing the offensive natur© of navies as compared with their defensive power, the isolation of Japan, and its liability to attack being considered in the light of the long distance capabilities of opposing fleets. The ? e proposals rre now being considered as Geneva and the decisions arrived at will be gleaned at a later date. *