The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-13
The British Steam Navy.

TFrom the London Steam Shipping Chronicle Oct o6l
The royal navy now consists of more than 300 ships in
commission, tnreefourths Of which steamers. This
neet carrying between 1000 and 900 guns, manned
by upwards Of 60 900 men, nearly $4,000 of whom arc
borne IN steam vessels and OF those that remain,
than 1000 are borne in stationary flag ships and guard
shlpssuch as the Victory, Asia aud Britannia Ports
mouth the Impregnable and Wellington at Plymouth
and the Fsgard, Queen Charlotte and Mnotaur at Wool
wlch ana Sheerness the proper compliments Of all the
sailing vesses-f we exclude the Excellent and Cam
bridge training ships for gunnery exercsedo not pro-
bably amount to 1900 men, the remainder being made
up OF supernumeraries, engaged in fitting vessels or
waiting be drafted into seagoing ships whenever they
ready TO receive their compliments Even these sail
ing vessels have steam tenders attached to them the
crews OF which included in the 1900 just men
toned; and the 500 men, hereabouts which are
under training in the gunnery Ships only there till
they are qualified to enter seagong ships 'scamcn gun
ners,'i l. e., perfected "man ( , wars men,
From these few figures it will be seen that the ROYAL
navy is in It's strength to all ntents and purposes and
without any reservation whatever, steam navy. To
substitute steamers for the sailing stationary ships would
be only waste of strength for alongside these agshps
which not intended to leave their ports encounter
enemy, have such powerful screw vessels as the
Duke of Wellington, Royal George Majestic and Colossus
carrying total of 400 guns perfectly ready in ali
respects INTO which the supernumares of the stationary
ships have only to be drafted and their compliments
peted from the Coast Guard Reserve enable them to
proceed TO sea, literally at a moments notice We have
in like manner perfect feet of steam fgates corvees
sloops and gunboats in reserveall sandng-numberng
about twenty live vessels; exclusive altogether of
the second and third divisions Of the reserve mum
bere about 100 vessels also OF the 80 gunboas hauled
up at Easar, and emitting altogether vessels which are
only converting receiving their machinery on board
The Channel squadron is exclusively steam fleet It
numbers Is vessels, with 900 guns and lo 900
The 70 vessels in port last commissioned, and pre-
pairing for sea- all steamers, carrying nearly 700
guns, TO be manned with 600 OF the Coast Guard
ships, all are steamers one-;he Eagle, at Milford;
and attached TO these tenders Is gunboats and AZ
ohe Old revenue cutters crusers but In the cruisers
which carry no guns, and the Eagle which carries but
six, only 500 men employed, while in the steam
guardshps and gunboats borne, $780, with upwards
OF coo guns and all round the coast have auxiliary
force already organized Of Coast Guard and voluu
eers, 10 complete the manning of the steam force thus
appropriated for home defences.
II IL much the abroad In the Mediterranean we
have 40 ships carrying nearly 1900 guns and upwards Of
10000 men, All these steamers except the receiving
ship at Malta which, like the stationary ships at home
is rather rendezvous for the others than part of the
force, taking board the drafts OF from England for
other ships, and relieving them Of their nvds their
way TO hospital. Again, out Of nearly 50 ships
lately In the East indies and China with 400 guns and up
wards Of 5000 men, only vessels carrying guns and
ceptinR the receiving ship, are not steamers In the
West Indies is the same: % ships, and only the flag
ship and vessels with guns without steam power
out OF feet representing 200 guns and upwards OF
1000 men. AT the Cape station and west coast of
Africa, Of % ships with more than 200 gnns and
1000 men, ouly 3 shlpa carrying guns are