Lord Armstrong's speech at the meeting of the Armstrong Company's
shareholders contained some very interesting comments upon the Japanese war. The Japanese were not only abreast but ahead of the times in their use of armament and naval material. Their victories at sea were in a great measure due to their use of quick-firing guns. " One gun of this type represents a battery of several guns of the old type." The war, however, left many naval problems unexplained, both as regards "torpedoes and arms." "This much, however," added Lord Armstrong, "I may say; the naval war in the East has established the great value of heavily armed, high-speed cruisers such as have emanated from our establishment, and of which some of the finest examples have greatly distinguished themselves in the late war. We have had letters from the officer commanding the Japanese fleet expressing his high sense of admiration at the behaviour of the magnificent cruisers built at Elswick." This expert testimony to the naval efficiency of the Japanese, and to their instinct in the use of the newest inventions, is very important. Lord Armstrong is not a worshipper of Japan, but a bard-headed man of business.
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