NAVAL POWER.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1921, Page 5

NAVAL POWER.

BRITAIN’S BIG LEAD AMERICA CATCHING UP. JAPAN FAVOURS REDUCTION. iri / By Telegraph?—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 9, 11.5 p.m. New York, Jan. 8. The New York Evening World’s Washington correspondent states that information concerning the relative naval power shows the projected strength in 1925 of first-line major ships mounting thirteen and a half inch guns or greater, will be: Britain, 28 vessels, totalling 723,650 tons; United States, 27 vessels, totalling 980,000 tons; Japan, 16 vessels, totalling 528,920 tons. The total of the first-line ship strength of the three Powers on January 1, 1921, is estimated to be: Britain, 532 vessels, totalling 1,601,652 tons; United States, 330 vessels, totalling 766,773 tons; Japan. 43 vessels, totalling 340,596 tons. The New York Evening Post’s Paris correspondent interviewed M. Ish. (Japanese delegate to the League or Nations), who said that if the United States would allay herself with the great Powers to establish a naval holiday, Japan would be amongst the first to agree to the plan. “This limitation of armaments,” he added, “is so desirable for all that it must be established on a fair basis, taking into account the geographic and economic conditions of each country. Japan’s insular position must be recognised, and she must be allowed to afford protection to her merchant marine, which is large. The actual figures show that the Japanese fleet is far from constituting a menace to the United States, being much inferior numerically to that country’s navy.” AMERICAN VIEW ON LIMITATION. New York, Jan. 7. Congressman Britten has introduced a joint resolution in which the Congress declares its unwillingness to commit the economic and political independence of the United States to the fetters of an international treaty materially limiting naval armaments and thereby involving America’s freedom of actions now undiscernible. —Aus-N.Z. Cable Assn. Washington, Jan. 6. It is understood that Mr. Harding is seriously considering the advisability of calling a conference of the Powers to consider disarmament or limitation of armaments. M. Daniels (Secretary for the Navy), appearing before the Naval .Affairs Committee of the House, promised to obtain the best information regarding the attitude of Britain and Japan towards discontinuance of their naval building programmes. The committee is in the ineantijne holding off making a report to the House on the pending Naval Appropriations Bill. It is understood that the chairman .(Mr. Butler) will shortly confer with Mr Harding and urge the advisability of taking speedy action respecting disarmament. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.