The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-06

The NAvIEs OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE-BRI-
TlsH VIEWS OF AMERICAN SHIPs.-The war ques-
ton in Europe is stirring up the naval Powers
there, and, singular to say, England guages her.
self by the power Of France, and announces to
the world that she must at once increase her
navy in order to protect the interests of peace,
for the British Ministers are convinced that
England, to be peaceful, must be powerful"
This is very curious assertion to make and
the entire speech OF Sir John Pakington. First
Lord of the Admiralty, which we give in another
column, is worthy of perusal. The statements it
makes, particularly in regard to the ability of
England to increase her feet in year so that it
will equal if not exceed that of France, has
caused good deal Of surprise in the latter
country. The French evidently thought they
had got ahead of the English in naval matters,
and that they could keep the lead; and the speech
of Sir John Pakington shows that he thinks they
right in the first part of this suppostion, but
he evidently hopes to disprove the second
part of it. There is another striking
fact in these revelations. Louis Napoleon is
building iron or steel clad ships, as an Offset to
the Improvements in naval artillery. As soon as
England found this out orders were given to
make experiments, and the result is that she, too,
has directed the construction of ships with sides
coated with plates of iron or steel four and half
inches thick, like the French.
These facts, connected with the recent speech
Of Sir John Hay in the British Parliament, derid-
ing the new American ships, published in our
columns some days since, give rise to some'curi-
GUS reflections. We take Sir John Hays obser
vations Tor all they are worth, and would only
remark that we do not believe that either he or
any other man can form truly appreciative
Judgment Of the relative merits of the several
systems of naval construction and armament
now in use. There has not been really naval
engagement since the Introduction of steam as a
propeling power for shipsofwar; and no prac-
tcal opinion can be formed of the efficiency or
inefIiciency Of any of the systems. These mail
clad ships are in fact the most recent de
velopement of the ideas formed on the
results of the last war between this country and
England. When it was demanded why our ships
constantly captured the British cruisers of equal
rate, it was found to lie in the fact that we had
paid attention 10 the power of naval artillery,
and carried bigger guns and better ones. Since
then everybody has been striving to improve
their cannon. Naval ornaments have run up
from twenty-four to sixty-eight Founders, and
from thirty-sixes to eighties We have done
smart thing or two in this way ourselves, but
without making noise about it. Guns Of eleven,
twelve, and even thirteen inches bore, some of
them carrying shot of one hundred and twenty
pounds, are not unknown in our navy; while the
Dahlgren cannon, which is peculiarly ours, still
holds its preeminence, notwithstanding the
Wanted Armstrong gun of England and the
rifed cannon Of Louis Napoleon. Sir John Hay
may sheer at the Niagara, but we guess that,
with her armament of eleven inch guns and her
fast heels, she will tell tale if it ever comes to
the trial.