Evening Star Newspaper, August 7, 1921, Page 49

MAGAZINE SECTION The Sundiy St | FEATURES I WASHINGTON, D. C. SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 7, 1921. jzlpan Builds Battles BY HECTOR C. BYWATER, Author of “Sea Power in the Pacific.” LONDON, July 28, 1921. URING the past twelve months a number of Japa- nese politicians, headed by Mr. Ozaki, who was recently expelled from the nationalist kensei- kai party on account of his anti-navy propaganda, have been waging a vig- orous campaign for the reduction of expenditure on naval armaments. This movement is receiving so much popu- lar support that the imperial govern- ment has found it expedient to enjoin strict economy on all departments of the navy. S In May Admiral Baron Kato. the minister of marine, summoned all the senior officers of the fleets and naval stations to Tokio for a conference on this question. As a result of this meeting it has been decided to scrap many okl ships. to reduce the number of ships in full commission and to take such other measures as will cur- tail expenditure without reducing the fleet's readiness for war. This new policy has not been adopted a mo- ment too soon, for even the docile Japanese masses are beginning to re- §0,000 two years hence. 1In short, she has enough trained officers and men to furnish a full size war crew to every battle-worthy ship she possess- es, with a margin over to provide complements for every new vessel as it leaves the building vard. As for rescrvists, she has 41,000 officers and men in the first-line reserve, all of whom have to put in a minimum of 100 days of training in the navy during the seven years they remain in that category. Observers often have been puzzled by the fact that Japan keeps on her navy list a number of old ships which have practically no fighting value: left and in any other country would be deemed ripe for the junk heap. The explanation is simple; these ob- solete craft are needed as training schools for the men who are later to take over the superdreadnaughts. high-speed cruisers, destroyers and submarines which will reinforce the fleet in due course. If they were scrapped thousands of officers and men would have to do their training ashore. and the Japanese hold that the sailor should learn his job afloat. This year's maneuvers are to begin early in September and continue to the end of that montk. The prin- cipal maneuver will be in the Japan sea, but certain of the operations will extend to the open waters of the Pa- JAPANESE BATTLESHIP ISE, CO! volt against naval and military bud- gets. which between them absorb no s than 45 per cent of the entire revenue. On the other hand, the government has refused point blank to modify the “eight-eight” shipbuilding program, which is rlally responsible for the abnormal inflation of the navy esti- mates; nor is it willing to abandon the scheme of intensive sea trajning which has been in force since 1918. ADMIRAL SHIMAMURA. This sckeme is proving very costly.| because it involves the maintenance | in full commission of practically all serviceable ships, the consumption of huge quantities of fuel. stores, etc.. and holding grand maneuvers at least once a year. Hard on the htelsl of Admiral Kato's economy conference comes the new that this year's au- tumn maneuvers are being planned on an unusually large scale and will Ohrpass in scope those of October, | 1919, which were the most extensive peace exercises that the Japanese navy had ever carried out. Before proceeding to describe the forthcoming maneuvers, a few re- marke on Japanese naval organiza- tion will nct be out of place. At the resent time no other navy in the vorld is keeping such a large propor- lion of its vessels in active commis- ‘on. It is true that the ships of the Tnited States Navy nominally on this tooting make an imposing list, but it is common knowledge that many of ‘them have reduced complements and would not be available for weeks, if not months, in case of emergency. * ¥ X ¥ THE Japanese system is very dif- ferent. Thanks to an abundant supply of officers and men and a very large body of reserves, no difficulty is experienced in finding complete crews for every ship that retains a frac- tion of fighting value. May 1. 1921, there were approximately 3,900 line officers. including engineers, who do net, sirietly speaking, enjoy “line” stat the Japanese navy. This fig- ure is only about 1.200 less than that of the United States Navy, which has nearly three times as many ships to man. The disparity is greater in the wase of enlisted men, of whom Japan Jiow has 75,000, and is budgeting for MPLETED IN THE SPRING O! INCH AND TWENTY 55-INCH GUNS, e cific. Ever since Rodjestvensky’s ar: mada was annihilated at Tsuhsima in 1905 the Sea of Japan has been a Nipponese preserve in fact no less than in name. Japanese supremacy in that area is unchallenged and un- challengeable, for each of the narrow straits giving access from the Pa- cific is under her control and so heav- ily fortified that none may pass: with- out her warrant. A glance at the'map reveals the .important bearing which this strategic control of the Sea of Japan exercises on Japanese pol on the mainland. With her flank thus secured Japan need fear no_serious opposition to her aims in China or Siberia. The development of subma-{ rines, aircraft, torpedoes and mines has strengthened her hold on the Sea of Japan by rendering the approaches virtually impregnable to attack. * % % % E leading role in the maneu- vers has been assigned to the first and second fleets, based, respec- tively, on Yogosuka and Kure, but the third fleet. with its headquarters at Sasebo, will also take part in the | program. Excluding minor craft and auxiliaries, upward of forty large ships will participate, besides several destroyer and submarine flotillas and airplane squadrons. Twelve of these ships will be dreadnaughts and battle ! cruisers, ‘the remainder comprising older armored ships and scout cruis- ers. The first fleet is headed by the Na- gato, which, with her_ displacement of 33,800 tons and main battery of | eight sixteen-inch guns, is for the | time being the largest battleship in the world. She is more than 1,000 tons heavier than the U. S. S. Colo- ! rado, similarly armed. and was put | into commission last January as flag- ship of Admiral Tochinai, command- ing the first fleet. A sister ship, thel Mutsu, now completing at Vogosuka, | is expected to begin her trials short- 1y, but it is improbable that she will be ready in time for the maneuvers. Other battleships in the first fleet are the Ise, Hiuga, Yamashiro and Fuso, which corresponds in size and power to the U. 8. S. New Mexico class, and the older dreadnaught Settsu, armed with twelve-inch guns. This latter ship will be transferred F 1918, SISTER SHIP OF THE HINGA. TOGETHER WITH SIX TORPEDO TUBES. l {ed the progress of fighting forces. IMPERIAL Navy to Conduct Intensive Sea Training in This Year's Maneuvers, Which Will Be on the Largest Scale in History, Despite Great Anti-Navy Prop- aganda Throughout Country—Complete Complements for Every Ship in the Fleet and Thousands of Reserves in Constant Training to Man New Vessels—Greatest Cruiser Now Afloat—Vast Expenditures for Coast Defense—Young Men Given | Highest Ranks in Service Being Thought More Aggressive in Time of Battle. to the third fleet when the Mutsu joins up. The six battleships are or- ganized in two divisions. ‘Attached to the first fleet is a squad- ron of fast light cruisers— Kuma, Oh-i and Kitakami—all of 00 tons, a speed of thirty-three knots and a heavy armament of rapid-fire guns. These are among the fastest cruisers afloat, and at least four others are under construction. In addition, Japan has begun or au- thorized thirteen scout cruisers of a larger and more powerful type, some THE of which are expected to mount eight- inch guns. The first fleet is accom panied by two destroyer flotillas with a total of twenty vessels, none more than five years old, and one flotilla of submarines numbering eight large Ships. There is also the aircraft carrier Wakamiya, a converted trans- port, which is serving as a seaplane mother ship pending the completion of the Hosho. a large. fast vessel specially designed for this work By JAMES. A. BUCHANAN. GEN. CHARLES DAWES, in charge of pre- paring a budget for the country, is not a profane man, according to the statements made by those who know him best. The position they take is that when Gen. Dawes uses a word that is ta- booed in certain circles he employs it solely for the purpose of emphasis and attracting attention to the thought he is delivering. During his experience before the congressional committee his speech, as reported in the press, aroused some of the min- isters of the country to protest against such language as he em- ployed, but his friends—and they are legion—were vehement in their de- nials of his intention to use *“cuss words” as such. Whatever his intentions were at the time, he succeeded in getting his utterances to the people through the medium of the press, and it was the cause of stopping proposed investi- gations that would probably have benefited no one. Those who have known the general for years realize that he is a composite individual. He possesses many attributes that cause his friends to love him and his enemies to fear and hate him with an intensity that is only equaled by the devotion of those who really know him. Those who have the idea that the man selected by the Presi- dent to prepare a budget for the country is a creature with horns, cloven hoof and spiked tail have never had the opportunity of talking to this dynamic force from that bustling metropolis, Chicago. During his service in the Army. Gen. Dawes was obsessed Wwith but one idea, and that was to help win the war as speedily as_possible and with a minimum loss of life, and he co-operated wonderfully with Gen. Pershing in cutting the traditional red tape which has for years retard- It was the writer's privilege on several occasions to visit his office at the Elysee Palace Hotel, in Paris, and Gen. Dawes operated there with the same punch that he formerly dis- played in_the accounting room of his RIG. I bank in Chicago. If you had business with him in Paris you had no trouble in securing an audience, but when you entered his office you were expected to know what you wanted, why you wanted it and if you couldn't get it, why. If the thing you desired was for the good of the army, Gen. Dawes set the wheels in motion so that the de. sired result could be accomp.ished, and accomplished without any bother- some delay. If one came to his office on some fool proposition, the general was curt; not that it is his nature o be discourteous. but because he had no time to waste. lives. Hours meant battles and bat- tles meant victory. * k x % T is an open secret that when Charles G. Dawes came to Wash- ington he did %o at a large personal sacrifice, and that he was to run his part of the show in a manner that would secure results irrespective of how many traditions he might break upon, and if you could sit in his office for half an hour, as the writer did the other day, and note the problems that came up in that short portion of his day you would realize that he is actuated with a sincere desire to aid his country in time of peice as well as he did during the war. He o Minutes meant | organized on similar lines, but is a |faster and more mobile force. Its leading ships are the four sister bat- the cruisers, Kongo, Hi-Yei, Haruna and Kirishima, built in 1913-1915. Al- though not of the latest type, these are still very formidable ships, dis- placing 27,600 tons and capable of steaming at 27% knots. Thelr main battery is eight fourteen-inch guns. The Japanese regard these vessels as the most important units of the fleet, because they are the only battle cruis- ers in the Pacific, and in that respect VESSEL HAS TWELVE FOURTEEN will remain unique till the U. S. S. | Constellation and her sisters come into service two or three years hence. Working with the second fleet battle cruisers are the fast scouts Tatsuta and Tenryu of _thirty-two knots’ speed, and Hirado and Yahagi of twenty-seven knots. The second fleet has its proper complement of destroy- ers, viz., sixteen first and second class ships and a submarine flotilla, but no aircraft carrier. Several of the larger seater scouting planes on platforms over the turrets. * Kk Kk HE third fleet, which is to take part in the closing stage of the maneuvers. is numerically the larg- est. Among its armored ships are the “semi-dreadnaughts” Aki and Satsuma; the Katori and Kashima, which were detailed to convey the crown prince to Europe; the big armored cruisers Kurama, Ibuki and Ikoma, and three older battleships. The only modern scouts in this fleet are the Chikuma and Tone, and its e ehs craft and submarines are {older than those attached to the first and second fleets. In case of war, the third fleet would be held in re< neuvers an officer of the serve as a coast defense force, thouch some of its best ships p be promoted to the first line. On the eve of the maneuvers the d second | | l\ Their War Records. RITER Spends Half Hour in -Office of Man Selected by President Harding to | Rearrange the Nation® eral Is Not a Profane Man, Regardless of His Reputation for Special “Cuss Words"—How His Office Is Conducted—His Assistants and s Finances—The Gen- wants to finish the job as quickly as possible, but he is determined that it will be well done before he re- linquishes the reins. Outside of the rooms in which he makes his headquarters in the Treas- ury building you will not find half a dozen messengers. You walk into No. 372 and you see a number of em- ployes ally busily cngaged in really working. A tall, slender, but rather athletic young man greets you. He courteous, but to the point. His name is Francis Kilkinny, and he was with the general when he was controller of the currency several He is the man who went with Dawes to France as a sergeant and who aft- erward won his shoulder straps. When the general’s war job was over Kilkinny returned to his home in Chicago and entered business. Again the call from the general; again did Kilkinny place his business in the hands of others and follow the gen- eral to the new battle line, the battle this time being waged against waste and inefficienc: Kilkinny receives you standing up. If vou have business—and he quickly senses whether or mot you have—you are invited to take a seat. If you are just in the room to visit he says, “How do you do,” he utters a few pleasantries and the next thing you know you ard at the door and he is shaking hands and inviting you to come again. It's all done so nicely, 80 smoothly. that you not only admire his_tact, but you like h's personality. ‘When you have satisfied Kilkinny :thnt you have real business with the 'Renernl he wastes no time, but con- | ducts you into a room where sits the man who is trying to bring order out of chaos. There are five ordinary oak desks in the room, there are a number of plain chairs and one sofa, condi- tion fair. There is also a long table, where sits_an assistant poring over a chart. There are three plain hat- racks in the room; there are no rugs on the floor. On the desks are nu- merous telephones and push buttons. | There are a few wire baskets, only two to each desk, for business is not permitted to accumulate in this go- ing conecrn. Problems that arise are attacked in the same manner.that the scccessful American business man conducts his affairs. The general and bis arsociates, with the exception of ithe two Army officers detailed to help him, work in their shirt sleeves. * ok k% IT is interesting to sit for half an hour. on the side line and watch this human dynamo at work. As the writer entered the room two messen- | gers came in with the afternoon mail. {1t had been divided into sroups by |the’ forces in the outer offices. The more pressing communications were tackled first and it was truly remark- able how ouickly Gen. Dawes read or the number of toes he would tread |and read understandingly. a leftcr | If the contents concerned the branch of work that had been designated to his assistants, he called them over to his desk. He tersely but thoroughly brought out the points in question and asked, “What shall we do about this matter?” There was nothing up ‘stage in his manner, he was like & president of a large corporation con- N has the bearing of a soldier, he is| years ago. | best method of procedure. The con- tents of the letter having been di- gested by all, his assistants returned to their desks and the general pro- ceeded with the balance of the mail. With a stenographer at the other side of the desk he commenc-d dic- tating answers. and despite the fact that one of his long cigars was | parked in one corner of his mouth, | the sentences fell easily f:om his lips with a precision of enunciation that permitted the stenographer to catch every word utterel waste words. because he realizes that of the working day | | every minute counts. There hesitating for the proper word, but there is speed, speed. speed® Just before the mail was finished three men were announced. They took seats at the side of his desrk and proceeded to speak their little pieces. At one time all three of them talked at once. When they had fin- ished, Gen. Dawes’ answers indicated that he had caught the point of each man’s remark. To one he indicated that in a moment he would take up his portion of the question. To ‘the other two he gave a clear and correct analysis of the trouble at hand. To the first man he addressed a few re- marks. Answersifiew back and forth with rapidity. If a man has a case where points are subiect to discus- anxious to wet the other man’s view- you can't force him. He wants you to he at ease, but he wants all your cafds face up on the table. The wen- eral has no time fcr non-essentials. It is just the same as if vou ap: tral Trust Company of Illirois and he was_sitting in his place as chairman of the board and you wanted a loan. He wants to see your balance sheet He realizes that his is a responsible able to the President, but that he is also acting for all the people of the country. As you sit and watch Gen. Dawes he. impresses you with the fact that in a month’s. time he has mentally | digested and indexed larze masses of figures. While discussing the case referred to a moment ago he was in- terrupted by a telephone call. A mo- ment's silence. then the answer, crisp, short. not curt, but the tone used by a husiness man whose time is lim- ited. The receiver snapped on the {hook. the sentence that had besn in- terrupted is finished. There had been no break in the trend of thought. The matter settled. the general again turned to his correspondence. only to be interrunted by two men of large stature. They sit rather mer- vously on the edge of the chairs: his quick eye notes their position and he invites them to pull their chairs closer. This move is evidently done to put them at ease. It is a pretty bit of psychology, for men unem- barrassed can be dealt with much more quickly and satisfactorily. £ * x £ % T HE larger of the two men acts as spokesman. - He finishes in about fleets will rendezvous | to watch the proceedings. The second fleet, based at Kure, hips, however, carry small singl rst BRIG. GEN. DAWES, PREPARING COUNTRY'S BUDGET, IS A “HUMAN DYNAMO” ON THE JOB ferring with his directors as to the He does not; is mo confusion, no sion. the case is discussed. As he is point _one can argue with him, but peared before the board of the Cen< position, that he is not. only answer- at Saiki bay, in_the Bungo strait, be- tween the islands of Kyushu and Sh koku. Here Admiral Tochinai will assume command of the whole force '|and take it to sea for a week of strenuous drill. ~The program for week includes high speed ! opening steam trials, tactical exercises, gun- nery practice and destroyer and sub- | marine attacks. ‘The second phase will begin on or hips at Top Speed, While Masses Cry for Disarmament It goes without saying that details | command of the finest superdread- of the problems of strategy and tac- | naughts, and until recently the sec- tics to be worked out on this occasion |ond fleet was commanded by a vice are shrouded in secrecy, but the fleet | admiral aged only forty-eight. movements already ?nnounc':d;lelp to | * ¥ X X indicate the main idea, which is to e g e T anancoc ayy | NV ) memmnink fubiShe Sl cxmpus ot is competent to perform the dual| the Russo-Japanese war, Count function of guarding the eastern (Pa- | Okuma, the veteran statesman and Sific) ‘Goast from attack and simul- | thinker. wrote: “Our victories at sea fancousty holding the approaches to|mMust be attributed in large measure et Jubas apainst enemy In. |10 the Youthfulness of our naval offi- VASers Chosen and Tsusithima straits | cers. MModern maval warfare ls 109 | strenuous a game for graybeards. axeide be heavily patrolles, marines | Youth alone possesses the zeal, the in- % 5 | itiative, the enterprise, the readiness of ihe ;“"-“"d““f‘|:°h?‘:,‘o’c‘h’°‘o‘§hjm assume responsibility. which are !hfmfi:‘; "l':‘ :'{"L = :‘”ot J‘anan 3’?\“ ,“ qualities of o\-.—rwnohmn)g |n‘|’p0rlance e. Se: . Mid- | § S = « stroyer Wayin"the straits stand ‘the 61ands | (o, {afns were on an averake ten vears of Tsushima and Iki, both ofd which | younger than their Russiun confreres, are fortified; but on ‘either side iS 2 2and much the same ratio obtained in channel from thirty to forty miles gther commands. The world saw the | wide which it would be dificult to | result. On one side the restless, fiery | render submarine proof, especially a8 | enthusiasm of youth, with its iron aversion to activity and the pessimism would therefore be faced with much |tomorrow a YOURg man's service. Considering_that it took four years of |the young men. That is the secret about September 12, when the force will be split into two fleets—one, the 77 THIS JAPANESE BATTLESHIP, THE NAGATO, IS THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD. IT IS A 33800-TON VESS THREE AND A HALF KNOTS. strongest, representing the Japanese | the depth of water is considerable. | will to conquer; on the other the sloth the event of war with a POWEr ) },¢ meets defeat hall way. If we are the same problem that confronted the ilhv old men stay at home to plot and work to make the narrow strait between | of victor PR |ana disillusionment of middle age. 1[.\: owning large submarines Japan | wise we shall make the imperial nav British at Dover in the great war. | plan if you like, but give the ships to Dover and Culais inaccessible to Ger-| Practically the whole of the avia- A SPEED OF TWENTY- EL WITH SISTER SHIP OF THE MUTSU. man U-boats, the Japanese could scarce- tion resources of the Japanese navy battle fleet, and the other an “enemy force” bent on breaking its way into | the Sea of Japan through the Chosen |and Tsushima straits, between Japan |and Korea. During this stage of the naval staff will be present on board each robably would | flagship, while Admiral Shimamura,} | chief of the naval staff. may also em- {bark on Admiral Tochinai’s flagship a minute and a quarter. The general ises. congratulates them on the good piece of work they have done and sends them forth wi.h lightened hearts and proud that they have been appreciated by the busiest man in the United States today. no one enters for a period of ten minutes, during which time his official mail has bee, cleaned up. Personal letters are handled outside of office hours—these hours according to_those who know him, are somewhere be- tween the hours of midnight and dawn. As Gen. Dawes is at the present stopping at the home of Gen. Pershing, the latter will be probably presented with an electric light bill larger than he had before the advent of this dynamic personality. In the general's mail are letters from all parts of the country. offering all sorts of suggestions and ideas. He appreciates letters that offer real suggestions. These are the only kind, however, that eve: filter through the outside office force and reach him. It is a waste of time to write to him for a job. . A point that should be impressed in describing the manner in which Gen. Dawes works is the rapidity of his decisions. and as one of his as- sistants laughinely remarked at luncheon. that if you are out of touch with the general for twenty-four hours you are miles behind the pro- cession when vou next,see him. Gen. Dawes’ chief assistants are William T. Abbott, vice president, Central Trust Company, Illinois. a man of high standing and much force in the financial world; Col. George V. H. Mosley. who served long enough in France not only to be entitled to wear four gold stripes on . his sleeve, but also to win the high regard of all men who appreciate ability of the highest character: Col. Henry C. Smithers. another overseas officer. who rendered valuable ser- vices during the late war. These three then, always tuned up to concert pitch, are dbing all that thev can to aid Gen.' Dawes .in his titanig task. All of tbe& genétal's nature is not confined té betne a.busy buginess man. He has an >>istle &ide that.is finely de- veloped. His chief hobbv is music. and his compositions have been pro- nounced by criti-s as most worthy efforts. The writer recently obsePved him when he was lunching at a hotel. About half way through the meal the orchestra played a beauti- ful selection and Gen. Dawes stopped eating and listened until the piece was finished. He seemed to atsorb every note of the music, to appreciate the splendid rendition. A moment later he was, betweén mouthfuls, dis- cussing a government problem. The impression that some have gathered is that the gemeral is a hard man, and this impression is erroneous. He does not desire; to hurt in any way the feelings of his fellow-men:.he is most considerate of the feelings of others as long as. their actions do not interfere with the job he has in hand, ‘but if-an¥ one deliberately seeks to block his path in his effort fo place the government on a sound business basis, he had better be prepared to receive a severe jolt. , - Gen. Dawes is earnest and sincere in his efforts to have the government run along sound business lines; he wants economy, but not such economy as will prevent the functioning of the goverment departments in an efficient manner. He gave two or three years of his life to his country during the war; he is giving another year of it while the country is at peace, and he is trying to place the government on a sound business basis. He is trying to save money for the taxpayers of the country, and if he doesn’t succeed to the fullest extent it will be be- cause the politiclans put innumer- able stumbling blocks in his path, and if they do thej will be, hi 1 R friends say, “hella For a wonder, | {1y hope to keep enemy submarines from | are to be mobilized for the coming {using the wider Tsushima channel, | maneuvers. The fi -orps at { though the presence of such craft in the | Yokosuka, Kure and bo are ex- sea of Japan would be highly em-!pected to send a total of eighty ma- barrassing to Japanese communications | chines. many of which will be em- th the mainland. ployed in patrolling the Tsushima 1f the precedent of 1918 and 1920 is fol- | straight and in anti-submarine duti lowed, the maneuvers will culminate in| Last year the navy machines carried a great action between the contending [out a series of atta on the coast fleets and a lavish expenditure of blank | towns; as much. perhaps, to impress cartridges. Last year, especially, there | public’ opinion as for any other pur- 1 VICE ADMIRAL TOMASABURO, MINISTER OF THE JAPANESE NAVY. wag a tremendous amount of firing, and photographs taken on that occasion show the battle cruisers rushing into adtion at full speed and firing eight gun salvos from their main batteries. It was during a similar sham battle in October, 1919, that the superdreadnaught Hiuga had one of her 14-inch turrets blown up by a flareback. which set fire to bags of powder. The turret was hurled bodily overboard and nearly fifty casu- alties resulted. At the close of the maneuvers the results are sighted and analyzed by a commission of admirals and staff of- ficers, who award praise and censure in accordance with their findings. The work of this commission is thoroughly businesslike, and its judgments are in no way influenced by personal con- siderations. Efficiency is the sole standard by which officers are meas- ured, whether their rank be high or low. The Emperor of Japan never meddles with technical matters. 1 this he is unlike the ex-German ka ser, who, although innocent of practi- cal knowledge, never hesitated to pro- nounce final judgment on the most complex problems of sea strategy. pose. Be this as it may, the sight of big squadrons of bombing machines swooping down on the great seapori and dropping scores of india rubbe bombs” on the most densely popu- lated quarters was not without effec It produced a loud outery in the press for the immediate expansion of the fiying service, and there is every rea- son to believe that the government shortly to introduce a big program of aviation both for the navy and the army. Nor was this the only direction in which former naval maneuvers have subserved the purposes of propagand: Prior to 1919 the imperial diet had resisted the government's proposals for modernizing the foruidlcations along the coast. In that yean how- ever, the maneuvers were héld in the vicinity of Sagami bay. south of Tokio. and the official report stated that the coast defenses had proved to be too weak to resist the approach of the “enemy” fleet. - In these circumstances.” it added. the safety of the capital itself, to say- nothing of that of other large 0 cities on the seaboard, cannot be Maneuver time is an anxious pe-|guaranteed unless the outlying forts riod for the fleet and squadron com-;are reconstructed and rearmed with manders of the Japanese navy, whose | modern artillery.” prospects of promotion depend very| The hint was not wasted. Money largely on the verdict passed on their!wus speedily voted for improving ti conduct during these exercises. More :coast defenses, and the work has gone than one officer holding high command j on so rapidly that the inhabitants of at sea has found himself politely rele- | Kobe and Osaka now complain of the gated to an obscure shore billet on ac- | noise and concussion produced by the ;:‘ounl of ‘ln ;rror of judgment which | firing of the new forts. o committed at maneuvers. On thel The approaches to Tokio bay, in- other hand, there have been equally:cluding the islands to the south of numerous cases of junior officers re- ! that point, have also been armed with ceiving sudden promotion ss a reward | high-powered ordnance. By degrees for conspicuously good work. Pro-|the whole of the Japanese coast de- motion in the Japanese service is by |fense will be reorganized on the selection, not by seniority, and this|latest principles. The work will costs system is so consistently “exerciged|a huge sum, but apparently a fewi that the average age of admirals dnd | millions more or less make very little captains is lower than fhat of any |difference in view of the formidable otaer ‘navy. - Japanese officers still onl total which Japanese expenditure ea the right side of forty are.found in armaments has already reached. -