Mr. Charles Cramp, of the great Philaadelphia shipbuilding firm, has been making a tour of the European shipyards, with the special object, apparently, of learning the truth about the progress of the Japanese navy. But he finds that the word " progress" is altogether inadequate to describe the situation: Japan suddenly appears as goyclone in a smooth sea of commonplace progress." Here is the situation as summed up by Mr. Or in an interesting important article in the October number of the North American Review:—** Jay is not only building: more ships than otherPowerexcept England, but she is building better ships in English' shipyards than England herself is constructing for her own navy. While other nations proceed by steps, Japan proceeds by leaps and bounds. What other nations are doing may be described as progress; but what Japan is doing must be described as a phenomenon. She is now: building:—(1) Three 14,800- ton battleships, which are well advanced ut Armstrong's, Thompson's. and the Thames Ironworks resp-tively. (2) One battleship of about 10,000 tons, commencing at Armstrong's. (3) Four first-class armoured cruisers of 9, tons displacement and twenty knots speed: two at Armstrong's, one at the Vulcan Works, Stettin, and one at the "Forges et Chantiers," France. (4) Two 5,000-ton protected cruisers of about twenty-three knots speed: one at San Francisco and one at Philadelphia. (5) One protected cruiser of 4,300 tons, and about twenty-three knots, at Armstrong's. (6) Four thirty-knot torpedo-boat des. troyers at Yarrow's. (7) Four more of similar type at Thompson's. (8) Eight ninety-ton torpedo-boats at the Schichav Works, Elbing. (9) Four more of a similar type at the Normand Works, France. (10) 'Three 3,000-ton protected cruisers of twenty knots, three torpedo gunboats and a dispatch' vessel at the Imperial Dockyard, Yokosuka, Japan. (11) A fifth armoured cruiser of the type already described (9,600 tons and twenty knots) to be built at Yokosuka. This is Japan's naval increase actually in sight. Excepting the ships building at Yokosuka, the whole programme has come under my personal observation. Comparison with the current progress of other Powers discloses the fact that Japan is second only to England in naval activity, being ahead of France, much in advance of Germany, and vastly in the lead of Russia and the United States. It must also be borne in mind that the new Japanese fleet comprises throughout the very Intest and highest types of naval architecture in every respect of force, economy, and efficiency."
Tu the C.panese war Japan captured with her un armoured cruisers the Chinese battleship Chenywen, 7,400 tons, and the Pingyuen, an armoured tdi shi ud to these she has already added five sea-going vessels of 32,000 tons total displacement, including the two first-class English-built battleships Fuji and Yashima, of 12,800 tons each; and when the present programme is completed Japan will have a total effective force of sixty-seven sea-going ships, twelve torpedo-catchers, and seventy-five torpedo-boats, with an aggregate displacement of 200,000 tons, At the end of the Chiaese war, which seems only the other day, Japan had a total dis-b4,000 tons. It is no wonder that Mr.
lacement (leaving out Chineses prizes) of Cramp declares such an advance to be a phenomenon, a miracle, a cyclone What will she do with it? Mr. Cramp thi: that the Japanese preparations are not simed against the United States—at least, not primarily. It is true the Hawaiian affair has given rise to some irritation, but its importance has been systematically exaggerated by the English Press. The Power whose supremacy, in the Paci Japan intends really to challenge: Russia, whose Trans-Siberian Railway, when com-leted, will at once make her a great Pacific ower politically and commercially. In word, Japan's purpose is the general one of predominant sea-power in the Orient." She meditates a renewal of her efforts to establish a footing on the Asiatic mainland—possibly she has in the ultimate acquisition of the Philippine Islands. view of this Mr. Cramp asks whether Russia and the United States are prepared or are preparing to meet such conditions and to maintain their proper naval status," and he answers in the negative In the race for naval "uprenmcy in the Pacific, Japan is gaining, while Russia and the United States are losing, ground." In three years Japan will be able to dominate the Pacific against either of th-se Powers, and in less than ten years against both Further than that, they are not theorem tical sailors; they have practical experience of carrying on successful war, sinking or taking the ships, bombarding the towns, and forcing the harbours of their enemy, 'TI donot know," says Mr. Cramp in conclusion, "how others may view this sort of disparity in experience; but in my opinion it is the most portentous fact in the whole situation." St, James's Budget.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.