(Correct as of 1 October, 1926.)
Comparison based on ratio of tonnage for capital ships established by Washington Conference Treaties for Limitation of Naval Armament.
Table I—Personnel (Unlimited).
a) Includes an estimated total of 306 officers and 2,793 men of royal air force performing naval aviation duties. The royal air force is a separate department, ranking with the army and the navy, and had 3,447 officers including 103 cadets, 28,560 airmen and 9,804 civilians and natives on August 31, 1926. Since in the United States, Japan, and France naval aviation personnel forms an integral part of the navy, it seems only fair that the personnel of the British air force performing duties in connection with naval aviation should be classed in this comparison. Includes 4,154 merchant marine personnel paid by naval appropriations manning auxiliaries such as tankers, yard craft, hospital ships, fleet service tugs, etc., which are manned in the United States and other navies by regular officers and enlisted personnel except that an average of 100 civilians are employed under the U. S. Navy Department for yard craft, ferry service, barges and lighters.
b) Does not include 188 cadets undergoing training in battleships and battle cruisers. Does include 125 naval constructors and 75 civil engineers. Naval constructors and civil engineers do not hold commissions in the British Navy but perform duties similar to those of naval constructors and civil engineers, United States Navy.
c) Figures as of July 1, 1926. There were 675 officers and 6,100 men in Japanese naval aviation on September 1, 1926.
d) French total includes 218 officers and 3,650 men in naval aviation.
e) Includes 1,535 retired officers of all ages and 335 retired enlisted men under 55 years of age.
f) Includes 7,481 retired officers and pensioners of all ages and 18,502 retired enlisted men under 55 years of age.
X) Above figures do not include marine corps personnel. The United States has 1,190 officers and 17,877 men in the marine corps of which 64 officers and 2,177 men serve afloat. The British Empire has 423 officers and 10,350 men in the royal marines, of whom 157 officers and 5,085 enlisted men serve afloat. Japan has no force corresponding to the marine corps of the United States and the British Empire.
|
|
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Actual Ratios |
Officers, regular establishment |
4.58 |
5.00 |
4.14 |
1.91 |
1.46 |
Enlisted men |
4.33 |
5.00 |
3.56 |
2.76 |
2.09 |
|
Ratio Applied to Capital Ships by Treaty |
5.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
1.67 |
1.67 |
Table II—Capital Ships (Limited).
Power |
Built |
Building |
Tonnage to be Arrived at in 1941 |
True Ratio in 1941 |
||
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
|||
United States |
18 |
525,850 |
None |
525,000 |
5.00 |
|
British Empire |
22(a) |
580,450 |
2(a) |
70,000 |
525,000 |
5.00 |
Japanese Empire |
10 |
301,320 |
None |
315,000 |
3.00 |
|
France |
9 |
194,544 |
None |
175,000 |
1.67 |
|
Italy |
7 |
133,670 |
None |
175,000 |
1.67 |
a) Nelson and Rodney building to replace Ajax, Centurion, King George V, and Thunderer. When this replacement is effected capital ship tonnage for British Empire will be (20 ships) 558,950 tons.
X) British Empire and Japanese Empire retain four battle cruisers each, United States retaining none. When Nelson and Rodney are completed, the following status will obtain:
|
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Capital Ships Armed with 13.4-inch Guns or Heavier |
14 |
20 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
Capital Ships Armed with 12-inch Guns |
4 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
7 |
Following the Washington Conference Treaties for Limitation of Naval Armament the following capital ships were scrapped:
Table III—(Scrapped under Treaty Terms).
Power |
Ships Completed |
Ships Building |
Total |
|||
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
|
United States |
19(a) |
289,580 |
13(b) |
552,800 |
32 |
842,380 |
British Empire |
22(c) |
447,750 |
None |
22(e) |
447,750 |
|
Japanese Empire |
12(d) |
192,751 |
4 |
161,958 |
16 |
354,709 |
France |
None |
None |
None |
|||
Italy |
None |
None |
None |
a) Includes Oregon and Illinois permitted to be retained for non-combatant purposes.
b) Includes Lexington and Saratoga which are being completed as aircraft carriers.
c) Includes Collingwood and Colussus permitted to be retained for non-combatant purposes.
d) Includes Asahi and Shikishima permitted to be retained for non-combatant purposes.
Table IV—Aircraft Carriers (Limited).
a) All experimental with exception of British carrier Furious of 19,100 tons, completed September, 1925. Under terms of treaty, experimental carriers may be replaced at any time, provided total carrier tonnage is not exceeded.
b) Lexington and Saratoga, which were building as battle cruisers, are being completed as aircraft carriers.
c) Courageous and Glorious. Does not include one seaplane carrier building in Australia.
d) Akagi formerly building as battle cruiser; Kaga, formerly building as battleship.
e) Bearn, ex-battleship.
f) Maximum individual allowed tonnage of aircraft carriers is 27,000 tons. Most powers favor smaller carriers than this. General board of United States Navy recommended in 1925 immediate construction of one 23,000 ton carrier.
|
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Actual Ratio, Aircraft Carriers Built and Building (Tons) |
2.91 |
3.87 |
2.35 |
0.78 |
0.00 |
Allowed Ratio, Aircraft Carriers, (Tons) |
5.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
2.22 |
2.22 |
Table V—Modern Cruisers (Unlimited)
5-inch to 8-inch Guns: 3,000-10,000 Tons; 27 Knots Plus.
Power |
Built |
Building |
Authorized and Appropriated for |
Totals |
Tonnage on Basis of 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 |
To Attain 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 Ratio with Britain |
|||||
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No.(a) |
Tons |
||
United States |
10 |
75,000 |
2 |
20,000 |
3 |
30,000 |
15 |
125,00 |
332,290 |
21 |
209,290 |
British Empire |
40 |
194,290 |
11(b) |
110,000 |
3 |
28,000 |
54 |
332,290 |
332,290 |
None |
|
Japanese Empire |
19 |
102,005 |
6 |
54,200 |
None |
25 |
156,205 |
199,374 |
4 |
43,169 |
|
France |
3 |
16,734 |
6(c) |
53,619 |
1 |
10,00 |
10 |
80,350 |
110,985 |
3 |
30,635 |
Italy |
8 |
30,784 |
2 |
20,000 |
None |
10 |
50,784 |
110,985 |
6 |
60,201 |
a) Number obtained by dividing tonnage by 10,000 tons, the maximum size cruiser allowed by treaty.
b) Does not include one mine layer, first line, of 6,740 tons with modem cruiser characteristics.
c) Does not include one mine layer, first line, of 4,000 tons with modern cruiser characteristics.
Actual Ratios, Modern Cruisers |
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Tonnage |
1.88 |
5.00 |
2.35 |
1.20 |
0.76 |
Number of Vessels |
1.38 |
5.00 |
2.31 |
0.93 |
0.93 |
Capital Ship Ratio |
5.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
1.67 |
1.67 |
Table VI—Destroyer Type, First Line (Unlimited)
Power |
Built |
Authorized and Appropriated for or Building |
Totals |
|||||||||||
Leaders |
Destroyers |
Leaders |
Destroyers |
Leaders |
Destroyers |
|||||||||
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
|||
United States |
None |
276(a) |
329,153 |
None |
None |
None |
276 |
329,153 |
||||||
British Empire |
18(b) |
31,310 |
169(b) |
194,575 |
None |
2 |
2,540 |
18 |
31,310 |
171 |
197,115 |
|||
Japanese Empire |
None |
78 |
85,650 |
4 |
7,400 |
14 |
20,230 |
4 |
7,400 |
92 |
105,880 |
|||
France |
4 |
9,144 |
20 |
20,062 |
9 |
22,647 |
25 |
36,560 |
13 |
31,791 |
45 |
56,622 |
||
Italy |
8 |
14,889 |
20 |
18,111 |
None |
15 |
19,112 |
8 |
14,889 |
35 |
37,223 |
Characteristics: Destroyer Leaders, 1,500 tons plus; 27 knots plus: Destroyers first line, 800-1,500 tons; 27 knots plus
a) Includes fourteen light mine layers, destroyer type, nearly all of these 276 boats which give the U. S. a preponderance in this type, were laid down during the World War in an emergency program to combat the German submarines; many of them are of hasty construction. Only 106 destroyers and six mine layers, total 112, are kept in commission.
b) Includes one mine layer.
Actual Ratios, Modern Destroyer Types |
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Total Combined Tonnage |
7.29 |
5.00 |
2.48 |
1.93 |
1.14 |
Total Combined Number of Vessels |
7.30 |
5.00 |
2.54 |
1.54 |
1.14 |
Capital Ship Ratio |
5.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
1.67 |
1.67 |
Table VII—Fleet Submarines, First Line (Unlimited)
Over 1,000 Tons Each; 20 Knots Plus
Power |
Built |
Authorized and Appropriated for, or Building |
Totals |
Tonnage on Basis of 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 |
To Attain 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 Ratio with Britain |
|||||
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
|||
United States |
6(a) |
9,675(a) |
3 |
(b) |
9 |
15,675(d) |
23,565 |
4 |
7,890 |
|
British Empire |
7(c) |
11,350 |
9 |
12,215 |
16 |
23,565 |
23,565 |
None |
||
Japanese Empire |
6 |
10,110 |
17 |
21,970 |
23 |
32,080 |
14,139 |
None |
||
France |
3 |
2,988 |
4 |
10,010 |
7 |
12,998 |
7,870 |
None |
||
Italy |
None |
4 |
5,200 |
4, |
5,200 |
7,879 |
1 |
2,670 |
a) Includes T-1, T-2, and T-3, out of commission.
b) Tonnage not available; includes one mine-laying submarine and two cruiser submarines, all V-types.
c) Does not include two 1,600-ton monitor submarines.
d) Estimated on average basis of 2,000 tons per ship for ships building.
e) Number arrived at by assuming an arbitrary boat tonnage of 2,000 tons.
Actual Ratios, Fleet Submarines |
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Tonnage |
3.32 |
5.00 |
6.81 |
2.76 |
1.10 |
Number of Vessels |
2.81 |
5.00 |
7.19 |
2.19 |
1.25 |
Capital Ship Ratio |
5.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
1.67 |
1.67 |
Table VIII—Submarines, First Line
700 Tons Plus, 13 Knots Plus (Unlimited)
Power |
Built |
Authorized and Appropriated for, or Building |
Totals |
Tonnage on Basis of 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 |
To Attain 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 Ratio with Britain |
|||||
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
No. |
Tons |
|||
United States |
50 |
43,822 |
None |
50 |
43,822 |
26,040 |
None |
|||
British Empire |
28(b) |
25,150 |
1 |
890 |
29 |
26,040 |
26,040 |
None |
||
Japanese Empire |
43 |
34,834 |
2 |
1,663 |
45 |
36,497 |
15,634 |
None |
||
France |
19(d) |
17,509 |
19(c) |
26,621 |
38 |
44,130 |
8,697 |
None |
||
Italy |
9 |
7,167 |
9 |
7,145 |
18 |
14,312 |
8,697 |
None |
a) Does not include two 1,600-ton monitor submarines. Does not include three mine layers totalling 2,670 tons.
b) Does not include three mine layers totalling 6,760 tons.
Actual Ratios, Fleet Submarines, First Line |
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Tonnage |
8.41 |
5.00 |
7.00 |
8.47 |
2.75 |
Number of Vessels |
8.62 |
5.00 |
7.76 |
6.55 |
3.10 |
Capital Ship Ratio |
5.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
1.67 |
1.67 |
Table IX
A. Naval Air Strength (Unlimited)
Data on Plane Carrying Capacity of Fleets. The following table indicates the airplanes which it is estimated may be carried and launched for effective attack by combatant ships of the fleets at sea, away from a coast defense area of 1,000 miles.
Nation |
Plane-Carrying Capacity—Built |
Plane-Carrying Capacity—Building |
Total |
Plane-Carrying Capacity on Basis of 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 |
To Attain the 5-5-3-1.67-1.67 Capacity with British Empire (b) |
||
Aircraft Carriers |
Battleship and Cruisers |
Aircraft Carriers |
Battleships and Cruisers |
||||
United States |
30 |
46 |
144 |
10(c) |
230 |
291 |
61 |
British Empire |
93 |
6(a) |
144 |
48 |
291 |
291 |
None |
Japanese Empire |
12 |
30 |
144 |
12 |
198 |
175 |
None |
France |
0 |
27 |
60 |
12 |
99 |
97 |
None |
Italy |
0 |
30 |
0 |
4 |
34 |
97 |
63 |
a) Carrying capacity of Vindictive, only British ship (battleship or cruiser), having planes. Planes and platforms on vessels were removed after the World War; platforms are kept in storage, and in a short time carrying capacity of battleships and cruisers would be brought to 120.
b) Possible to attain capacity by (1) building large aircraft carriers to total tonnage allowed by treaty; (2) building cruisers to carry planes, cruisers not being limited as to numbers; and (3) building carriers of less than 10,000 tons displacement, these not being limited by treaty.
c) Includes capacity of three battleships being reconditioned.
|
U.S. |
Brit. Emp. |
Jap. Emp. |
France |
Italy |
Plane Carrying Capacity |
3.95 |
5.00 |
3.40 |
1.70 |
0.58 |
Capital Ship Ratio |
5.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
1.67 |
1.67 |
B. General Data Regarding Naval Aviation
|
United States |
British Empire |
Japanese Empire |
France |
Italy |
Heavier-than-air craft in commission exclusive of school and training |
212 |
120(b) |
193 |
90 |
175 |
Heavier-than-air craft in reserve |
125 |
120 |
236 |
59 |
(e) |
Personnel: Officers |
692(c) |
456(d) |
675 |
218 |
(e) |
Enlisted men |
3,587(c) |
3,215(d) |
6,100 |
3,650 |
(e) |
Reserve |
470 |
(e) |
None |
1,475 |
(e) |
Lighter-than-air |
|
|
|
|
|
Built |
2(a) |
2 |
2 |
5(f) |
3 |
Authorized |
2 |
2 |
None |
26 |
5 |
a) Includes the non-military rigid Los Angeles.
b) Approximately 500 additional planes in general service in royal air service.
c) Includes marine corps personnel.
d) Does not include administrative and other overhead personnel of the royal air force which serves the fleet air arm, and therefore is not accurate for basis of comparison. An estimate of personnel required by the British Empire for naval aviation is 1,050 officers and 9,000 men.
e) Information not available.
f) The French report that the Mediterranean is to be scrapped this year. Besides the Mediterranean they report having 13 non-rigid dirigibles of 360,000 cubic feet capacity; of these, four are in commission and 9 in reserve.
Table X—Vessels Laid Down or Appropriated for Since Washington
Limitation Conference, 6 February, 1922.
a) Lexington and Saratoga.
b) Courageous and Glorious
c) Akagi and Kaga.
d) Emerald and Enterprise were laid down prior to conference and are not included.
e) River gunboats.
f) No definite information concerning building program.
g) Both mine sweepers and mine layers.
Table XI—Merchant Marine of Chief Nations—1,000 Tons and Above Gross
Tonnage. (1 July, 1926)
Merchant ships though not an active part of peacetime navies, are a vital part of wartime navies. The fact that Merchant vessels constitute a powerful naval reserve is often overlooked.
Merchant Vessels |
United States |
British Empire |
Japan |
France |
Italy |
Germany |
||||||
No. |
Tonnage(a) |
No. |
Tonnage |
No. |
Tonnage |
No. |
Tonnage |
No. |
Tonnage |
No. |
Tonnage |
|
Total |
2,299 |
11,089,753 |
4,473 |
20,184,154 |
990 |
3,583,839 |
746 |
3,009,803 |
672 |
3,000,855 |
678 |
2,600,347 |
Laid Up |
842 |
3,757,083 |
239 |
1,203,697 |
35(b) |
53,270 |
42 |
91,713 |
30(c) |
35,521 |
No data available |
a) Shipping on Great Lakes not included.
b) Figures are of November, 1925.
c) Figures are of March, 1926.
Classified as to Speed, 12 Knots and Above (gross tonnage of ships of 1,000 plus)
|
United States |
British Empire |
Japan |
France |
Italy |
Germany |
12-15 knots |
882,960 |
5,537,242 |
746,348 |
657,041 |
506,631 |
636,803 |
15-18 knots |
611,067 |
2,109,820 |
164,888 |
219,760 |
183,817 |
96,279 |
18-20 knots |
62,140 |
560,486 |
10,527 |
67,225 |
51,917 |
52,930 |
Over 20 knots |
113,683 |
235,995 |
|
69,506 |
81,700 |
|
Totals |
16,698,50 |
8,443,543 |
921,763 |
1,013,532 |
824,065 |
786,012 |