When asked whether Japan was haliding large cruisers, Commander Tevajima admitted that such was the cas "We ave building 7,000 and 10,000- ton cruisers, and one of these, the Furatake, will be launched from the Nagasaki shipbuilding yard next Weinosday, February 25. Three more of this type will be completed in the course of this year. We are also constructing four 10,000-ton cruisers. The armament of these vessels, however, is not so heavy a: Mr, Bywater writes about. Mr. Bywater says that our 10,000 eruiswill be equipped with 12 eight-inch guns. Thin is not so, As a matter of fact, Japanese nav perts donot think that emi can carry such heavy equipment without making considerable sacrifice of speed, and speed, after all, is the main thing in so far as ight cruiser is concerned.
One of the new 10,000-ton cruisers has already been Taunched. She has been christened the Nachi.
Another of these vessels, which is to be called the Myoko, is nearing completion. Their armament, however, T'was told, consists of eight six-inch guns.
The earthquake of 1923 consid ably slowed down Japan's al Duilding programme, and, Come mander Terajima admitted this. The construction of vessels that had deen arranged for was stopped and work on others that had already been commenced was suspended. Conditions being normal now, the old programme is being adhered to. "But we are keeping strictly within the requirements of the Washington conference treaties," Commander Terajima remarked.
"Our submarine programme is not We are constructing Mlacement of 1,400 tons, just as Wwe have done before. Some of our new" submarines are already in commission. We are also constructing light cruisers of 3,100-tons. is quite possible that Mr. Bywater has become confused and has mixed up our cruiser programme with what he is pleased to call Japanese
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.