The Shasta courier., 1866-04-14
SHASTA OURIER.
The Growth of Navies.

said to date from the Sixteenth Century,
when the British sailors first found courage
to venture fairly out upon the sea. The
ships of Henry VlII," lin the early part
of the Sixteenth Century, says Sir VIM,
Monson, were never SO far from home Out
they might return again, with good wind,
in twenty four hours sail, whereas those of
his daughter, Queen Elizabeth, in the lat
ter part of the Sixteenth Century,) were
not expected to see the English shore under
four, five or six months, and many times
| more"
| In 1896 the Earl of Cumberland built a
| fine ship at Deptford, burden nine hundred
tons, which being the largest ever built by
an English subject, her majesty was pleased
to favor his lordship with her presence at
the launching, and gave it the name of the
| Scourge of Malice. In the time of James
| l. 1919, ships we're enlarged to three, four
and five hundred tons, because the Turks
and pirates of Algiers were many and strong,
and able to overcome all small ships. In
| 1877, the frstrates in the British Navy
were increased from 1,500 to l,600 tons in
| l720, to 1900; in 1745, to 2 1000 tons in
1895, $3.50 tons; in 1903, to 2,6l6 tons in
1899, to 3, LOG tons.
England by the necessities of her India
trade. got long start 6f America in large
vessels As long ago as 1916, she had yes.
sells of 1900 tons burden, while in 1884, the
largest merchant vessel that had ever been
in Boston harbor was the ship Henry Clay.
of only 500 tons burden The marine
record of the port of Boston shows that at
the commencement of the Eighteenth Cen
tury, the largest ocean vessel rarely ex.
ceeded hundred atons. Sixty years ago,
vessels of 450 tons were regarded as of such
unwieldy dimensions that they would be
likely to prove the pecuniary ruin of their
owners. As late as 1886, one of the news
papers referred to an immense steam frigate
to be built at London, called the Gorgon,
|, 100 tons burden, and carrying twelve
guns. And in the same year another paper
writing upon the probable speedy establish
ment of lines of steamships between the
ports of Liverpool and New York, said,
They must however, be very large ships,
we should say from 800 to 1000 tons bur
den."
In 1855 the Marlborough, a screw ship,
l3l guns, 1000 tons was added to the
Royal Navy. 1t was estimated that 6,068
loads of timber were required to build her,
and the services of 334 shipwrights one
year. Not more than forty oak trees can
full size, or to yield each two loads of tim
Der. TO build the Marlborough, therefore,
the produce of seventy-six acres of oak
forest of the growth of hundred years was
necessary. Her entire spread of sail con-
slderably exceeded an acre and half. 1t is
estimated that in building the merchant ship
Great Republic, a vessel of the same burden
as the Marlborough, $3.50 tons of Oak were
used in her frame, posts and knees; l, 800.
600 feet of hard pine in keelson, ceiling,
decks. and planking and about three hun
dred tons of iron and fifty six tons of copper
in her fastenings, about $1,000 days labor
were required in her construction. A line.
of battle ship requires about one thousand
four hundred blocks of all kinds in her fit
ting.
King Edgar, who reigned in the Tenth
Century, is said to have sailed around the
whole island of Albion, guarded by 1000
sail, which he divided into four squadrons.
Yet it is mentioned as fact worthy of note.
that Edward Ill, in the Fourteenth Cen.
tury, had fleet of 1,l00 vessels. Richard,
IN his expedition to Jerusalem, A. d., 1890.
had with him two hundred and fifty four tall
ships and sixty galleys.
The fleet, lifted out to resist the Spanish
Armada, amounted to one hundred and
ninety seven vessels. of all descriptions. of
an aggregate burden of 80 900 tons. Thirty
four OF these vessels. measuring IL, 600 tons.
composed the Royal Navy One only. the
Triumph, was of 1,l00 tons. The White
Bear was l,O0O tons. two were 800 tons.
three oUO tons, SIX 500 tons. five 400 tons
slxty-slx were under 100 tons, and fifteen
victuallers, and seven more of small size -
All the sailors in England numbered but
l4,VoO men, and there were not four ships
belonging to the merchants that exceeded
400 tons.
In Io4l, the Navy of England consisted
OF forty two ships. with an aggregate ton
| mage OF 22,4ll tons. In 1858 the Great
Eastern was launched on the Thames. bay.
ing tonnage OF p 500 tons-greater bv SO
tons than the burden of the entire British
fleet 22O years ago. In 1899 Holland sent
seventy three ships to sea, and in 1866. ac-
cording to Gemmeli, Venice. in an bonr
could tit out 90 galleys and twenty gallioses
Inc hrst screw vessel ever built was the
well-known steamer Princeton. built at
Philadelphia under the supsrintendence of
Commodore Stockton. in 1913. Her encines
were designed and supplied bv Cant. Fries
son, the inventor of the monitor svstem of
iron clads. Though, in experimenting in
advaLee OF her time. the Princeton outdid all
the expectations formed of her. and in some
respects has never been exceled. She was
in the Gulf throughout the Mexican war
and on her return was broken up her bnll
having become defective ON accom-. Of
being built of green timber. The first screw
man of war in the British Nayv was the
Rattler, launched in ls45.' The Admiralty
was so doubtful of the screw prncipIe that
her engines were SO constructed that they
could De converted into side wheel engines if
required. and the space that would he oc.
cup'ed by the paddle boxes was kept clear
of guns The Admiralty, with equal doubt
and hesitation are coming gradually to the
adoption of that other great invention If
Captain Ericsson-the Monitor.
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