Balance of Flat-Topped Power

The danger point in the carrier strength of the U.S. and British fleets has been passed. That is the best news yet in the hard sea war against Japan.

The U.S. Navy began the war with seven carriers. Four were sunk in the first year: Lexington, York town, Wasp, Hornet. That left three. The Japs, though they had lost between six and eight, still had perhaps five.

But, for every carrier lost, the U.S. will soon have acquired two. This week the Navy launched the seventh new one since Pearl Harbor--the Cowpens, fourth of the 10,000-ton cruisers converted to carriers (the others: Princeton, Independence, Belleau Wood). To be launched this week is the new Yorktown, fourth of the Navy's 25,000-ton regular carriers (others: Essex, new Lexington, Bunker Hill). Seven more of the Essex class, as well as more Princetons, are being built.

The U.S. public (and the Japs) may not learn of the actual commissioning of some of these ships until after they have been sunk. But it is reasonable to suppose that the Essex, which was begun in April 1941, and launched in July 1942, will be ready soon, if it is not already in service. The Lexington should follow soon. After that about a carrier a month ought to go to the fleet.

Besides these battle carriers the U.S. is producing literally dozens of carriers converted from merchantmen. These are too slow for efficient battle use, but they are invaluable for getting land-based air power to points of contact across the seas.

Britain started the war with six carriers. Five have been sunk. Six new ones have joined the fleet (including two new 23,000-tonners, Indefatigable and Implacable, whose commissioning was announced last week). Britain's carrier strength is therefore greater than it was before the war. The British increase is, in effect, a blow at Japan. It means that the British no longer have to rely on U.S. help in the pinches, and at least some of the increase may be felt in the Indian Ocean, where the enemy is Japan.

If the Japanese think Tokyo was bombed with the help of a carrier they are now getting more & more to think about.

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