Author : Dudley Wright Knox
Release : 2013-09
Genre :
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : 942/5 ( reviews)

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Book Synopsis The Eclipse of American Sea Power by : Dudley Wright Knox

Download or read book The Eclipse of American Sea Power written by Dudley Wright Knox. This book was released on 2013-09. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1922 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER X LIMITATION OF ARMAMENTS STIMULATES COMPETITION IN EFFICIENCY Recent quotations from the Japanese press are to the effect that, while the agreement limiting the armament of naval bases in the Western Pacific compensates them to some degree for their end of the 5-5-3 ratio, a further and equally important compensation is to be expected from Japanese superiority in the general efficiency of their ships. This view from Japan emphasizes an important general principle; namely that an inevitable result of any international restriction upon the size of navies will be a competition in naval efficiency, keener than ever. Differences between the respective navies in the design and workmanship of their ships and equipment, and in the numbers and quality of the personnel, may easily result in actual proportions of naval strength very different from the ratio in tonnage. The future battleship is now limited in size to 35,000 tons maximum displacement. It is optional whether they shall be made smaller by any nation. For example when it comes to replacing our battleships we could plan for a navy of 14 battleships of 35,000 tons each, to make up our total allowance of 500,000 replacement tons in this class, or we could build 20 battleships of 25,000 tons, or any other number of ships within the maximum limits of individual size and aggregate tonnage. Manifestly there is opportunity here for competition in design between nations which may alter the theoretical ratio in battleship strength materially. There is further and greater opportunity for rivalry in the other characteristics of the battleships. We may make them speedy or slow; install a few heavy guns or a greater number of lighter ones; provide thick armor or thin; equip them with many...