The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-12-16
ON the London Steam Shipping Chvonici
The British Stea Navy.


The British steam Navy.
The royal navy now consists OF mord
than 800 ships in commission. three
fourths OF which are steamers. I'll is fleet,
carrying between 5000 and 6,00Q guns,
is manned by upwards of so, 900 men, near
|Iy $4,000 of whom are borne in steam ves-
sells; and of those that remain, more than
5000 are borne in stationary flag ships,
and guarG ships--such as the Victory,
Asia, and Britannia, at Portsmouth; the
Impregnable and Wellington at Plymouth,
and the Fisguard, Queen Charlotte and
Minotaur, at Wool web and SheernesS; the
companions of the sailing vesseIs-if we
exclude the Excellent and Cambridge train
ing ships for gunnery exercise-do not,
probably, amount to 5000 men, the re-
mainder being made up for supernumera-
ries, engaged in fitting out vessels, or wait
ing to be drafted into seagoing ships when
ever they are ready to receive their COM
plements. Even the sailing vessels have
steam tenders attached to them, the crews
of which are included in he 5000 men
Just mentioned; and the 500 men, or
whereabouts, which are under training in the
gunnery ships, are only there till they are
qualified to enter seago;ng ships as "sea-
men gunners," 4. e., perfected "man Of
wars men,"
From these few figures it will be seen
that the royal navy is, III its strength. TO
all intents and purposes, and without any
reservation whatever, a steam navy TO
substitute steamers for the sailing station
ary ships, would be only waste of
strength; for alongside the flagships, which
are not intended to leave their ports to
encounter an enemy, we have such power
full screw vessels as the Duke OF Yelling
ton, Royal George, Majestic and Colossus,
carrying total Of 400 guns perfectly
ready for sea, in all respects, into which
the supernumeries Of the stationary ships
have only to be drafted, and their compile
ments completed from the Coast Guard
Reserve, to enable them to proceed to
sea, literally, at a moments notice. We
have in like manner, a perfect fleet Of
ST cam frigates corvettes, sloops and gun
boats in reserve-all standng-numbering
) about twenty five vessels, exclusive alto
gether of the second and third divisions of
the steam reserve, numbering about one
hundred vessels; also of the so gunboats
hauled up at Haslar, and emitting alto
gether vessels which are Cnly converting
} or receiving machinery on board.
The Chanrel squadron is exclusively
st cam feet 1t numbers fifteen vessels,
with 1000 guns and 10000 men. The
twenty vessels in port last commissioned,
: and now preparing for sea, are all steam
ers, and carrying nearly seven hundred
! guns, to be manned with 1000 men. OF
f the Coast Guard ships, all are steamers,
/ save one-the Eagle. at Milford; ard at
: tached to these AS tenders are fifteen gun
boats, forty seven of the old revenue cut
ters or cruisers but in the cruisers, which
+ carry no guns, and the Eagle which car
ries but six, only nine hundred men are
3 employed, while in the steam guardships
and boats are borne $500, with upwarus
of six hundred guns, and all round the
coast we have auxiliary force already
organized, of coast Guard men and volun-
teers, to complete the manning of the steam
force thus appropriated for our home de-
/ fences. .r
1t is much the same abroad. In the
Mediterranean we have forty ships, carry
ing nearly 800 guns, and upwards of 49,
600 men All these are steamers except
the receiving ship at Malta, which like the
stationary ships at home, is rather rem
devious for the others than 4 part Of the
force, taking on board the drafts of men
from England for the other ships and re-
lieving them of their invaIids on their way
tohospital. Again, out Of nearly fifty ships
y now or lately in the East Indies and Chi
ma, with 400 guns and upwards Of 600
ren, only SIX vessels carving guns, and
excepting the receiving ship, are no.
: steamers. In the West Indies it is the
same; twenty ships and only the flag ship
and three vessels with guns without steam
power, out ola fleet representing 200 guns
and ~ wards of 1000 men. At the Cape
station and West coast of Africa, of 26
ships, with more than 200 guns and 3, 900
= = men, only three ships carrying guns are
j sailing vessels. Even on the coast Of
: Sonth America where the proportion of
steam and sailing vessels has been hitherto
:, nearly equal, four of the latter, bearing
i nearly 1000 men, are reported as ordered
home, whose places will doubtless be TAX
en- by steamers of similar class so that
J only four sailing vessels and the store ships
u will remain, bearing altogether 700 men
and under forty guns, in fleet of twenty
yes e's, with between 400 and 500 guns,
i between 1000 and 5000 men.
; The remainder of her Maesty's ships in
Ii commission consist Of screw steamers for
> the conveyance of troops, such as the
a IIimalaya, Simoom, Urgent. and Persever-
u ance, and a few smaller vessels for the
conveyance of stores, or employed in sur
e veying at home and abroad, almost all Of
y which also are steamers.
e A New DRINK.-The Eycning Post says
T. that they have q new drink iu New York