Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-05-05
TAs Nsvsss sfEnglaaA ana 1ranes.

TAs Nsvtss sSEngIaaA ana 1rsnes.
Some interesting particulars relative to
the strength Of the naval forces Of the two
great maritime Powers Of Europe may be
cleaned from the speech Of Sir John PAX
ipgton, the FIRST lord Of the Admiralty, to
tbs House Of Commons, on laying before
it the navy estimates for 1859. Itappesrs,
from the statistics given BY that the navy
Of France has been augmented to an enor.
nous degree, and may well excite the Sc.
rious spprebsnsions which seems TO be
entertained IN England - to the unusual
activity new prevailing in the French dock
yards. The. supremacy acquired BY En-
gland over France at sea, during the long
war (l7sA-lSl4) at the beginning Of this
century, was mainly owing to the superior
seamanship and bodily strength Of the En-
glish sailors aud TO the extensive CONNER.
cial marine Ct England, which furnished
her with the means Of recruiting the losses
she sustained, France in the latter respect,
having but little 70 fall back upon. A ma
vel war now, however, would be decided
BY very different means. 10 the old time
gunnery Was little studied, the rule being
to 60 so near TO the enemy that you could
not miss him. The artillery used on board
ship WAS Of mall,cslibre-ls,A and 80
Founders. but chiefly the former being the
weight Of metal employed, so that, what
With bad gannery aud small guns, was not
surprising that battle should last several
hours. .....
To our own navy belongs the merit Of
originating the system of taking aim with
precision, using cannon as you would
rife, and employing guns of heavier cal
ibre, and ships OF larger size to work them
in. The fatal effect of these improvements
we're felt by the English. in the numerous
frigate actions OF the war Of 1872, but tho
admitted by them, the red tapeism Of the
tory ministers from that period to the year
1880, prevented all improvement in En-
glish naval tactics. The French, however
were in advance Of their neighbors, and
set to work to introduce into their navy .
perfect system Of gunnery and Of naval
discipline, which speedily raised il to an
equality with, if no. to superioity ove- the
British navy. The admiralty, startled BY
the repeated remonstrances and warnings
Of intelligent spectators, Of what was going
on 10 the French ports. at length opened
their sleepy eyes, and having rubbed them
well and put on their spectacles, saw that
there was something in it. Their facul-
ties were further sharpened by the revol.
ution of July. at Paris, which reused the
war spirit of the world. and made it evi,
dent that the sword was not yet con
verted into a plowshare. nor the spear in.
to pruning hook. A school for training
seaman in the scientific use Of heavy guns
was formed, and the old "a guns ship
Excellent which had been quitely rot
ting for some years, in Portsmouth har.
bor, WAS converted into naval college for
gunnery, and placed under the care OF
Captain (now Sir Thomas Hastings
Guns Of the very heaviest calibre were
planted, and in a short time great prog
ress was made in the practice. From this
school, gunners for the British navy have
since been supplied.
The introduction Of steam vessels of war
has made another vital change in naval
tactics in fact il has superseded sailing
vessels, and therefore rendered compare
tiyely useless, the ancient seamanship for
which the English we're famous. Bearing
in mind, we shall be able to form . more
correct estimate Of the relative maritime
strength Of the two countries at the pres
ent time, when, in fact two vessels, one
French, ole English, Of equal size and
weight Of armament, would be as nearly
as possible matched.
According to the statement Of Sir John
Pakington, England will have before the
end Of the year Al line of-battle ships
mostly powerfully two.deckors, of 80 guns
and at the end Of 1906. The number
Of steam frigates will be augmented from
81 70 AZ, by building new ones, and con-
versing Of the sailing ftigates into steam
vessels. Thus, (apart from sailing frigates
corvettes, sloops of.war, &C., &c,) Eng.
land will have l0l first clas; ships for line
fighting; then there are mortar vessels.
gunboats, floating batteries, and block
ships. Of which we have not the details at
hand. And to man this powerful fleet,
the House OF Commons voted 62,4S0 men,
| According to the statement, France, has
or will have before the end Of the year, 40
line of.battle ships, and AZ steam frigates,
eight Of which are now building. She has
also strong force Of gun-boats and small
or vessels, but in this arm she is decided.
y inferior to England. However, for
fighting in line, the two nations will be
nearly on an equal footing. And if they
should combine against US we shall have
to face s6line.o battle ships, and s5 steam
frigates, besides hundreds of smaller yes
sells, which would harrass every port creek,
and nook along our coast. What sort or
force could W. raise within one year to
oppose thisl
Sir John Pakington gave some details
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