JAPAN’S NAVY.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1922, Page 5

JAPAN’S NAVY.

SOME REMARKABLE CRAFT. NO AGGRESSIVE AMBITIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Sydney, July 14. The Daily Telegraph publishes a special article by Mr. Pooley, formerly Reuter’s special correspondent in Japan, dealing with Japan’s naval policy. He says the latest-designed Japanese submarines are of 2300 tons displacement; they are armed with six torpedo-tubes, armored over vital parts, and have a cruising capacity, at 7£ knots, over a radius of 16,000 miles. They are capable of voyaging from Saseho round Australia and back to Japan without touching port. Mr. Pooley considers there is nothing insuperable in such a feat.

After dealing with other details of Japan’s naval construction, he adds th it it is not unnatural, in view of past history, that some suspicions of Japanese intentions have been aroused, but for the present, at any rate, there do not appear to be any fair grounds for imputing \aggressive designs to Japan. The writer declares that Japanese naval opinion does not share the view that the submarine is useful only for commerceraiding. on the contrary it has great be lief in the future of the submarine as a fleet unit, so much so that Admiral Kato scrapped nis war and pre-war submarine programme when the surrendered German submarines allotted to Japan arrived, and drew up an entirely new programme after careful examination of the booty had been made.

Mr. Pooley con- his review of other branches of Japan s naval policy and construction as follows: “If the Japanese programme does not justify suspicion of the bombardment of Sydney and the raiding of Australian commerce, no harm is done by keeping a watchful eye on its future developments. Perhaps that is why a most distinguished ship of State and one of the most distinguished submarine experts has taken command of the Royal Australian Navy, of what is left of it.