The New York herald., 1869-04-20
FRANCE.
Present Condition OF the French Iroa.Ciad
Fleet.

Present Condition OF the French Iroa.Clad
Fleet.
From tie Pail Mall Gazette.l
In the buIidIn9 OF ships OF war the French have
maie but little progress during the last twelve
months, and there has been remarkable falling or
m the feverish activity which q few years back
reigned in their dockyards. The marine authorities
may think that what has been accomplished war
rants them In slackenn9 speed ald looking about
them before yenturng any further. IL Is now eight
years ago that the French government drew up
naval programme and settled the humber OF vessels
which II deemed would be necessary 10 defend the
honor and the Interests or the country. The fleet Of
tue future was to consist OF iorty first class and
twenty second class ronclads, with thirty foating
batteries. coasters, despatch boats, wooden vessels
aud transports, amounting In all to 4s9 snps. Al
though good number OF vessels have still TO
be built before this programme is completed,
nearly the whole attention OF the French Ad.
mlraty has OF late been turned TO the ques-
lion OF armament. Last year great reduction IN
made; for instance, the Magenta when carried
nny-tw0 guns. had her armament decreased to ten
guns OF twenty four centinelres 5.45 inches) and
simhar Change was made In some OF the irigates
aGoat. good deal OF uncertainty still prevails az
TO the exact number Of guns which the various types
OF vessels should carry and the position they should
occupy, and hence II has happened that some SHIPS
have been armed, disarIned and learned three or
four times since the day when the necessity Of
getting heavy metal on board was recognized. II
mas be rsmaI kod acre that the French cling with
singular obstnacy to their breechloa1ers: they moi
only continue 10 place them on board their vessels
but their arsenais are SUI busy manufacturing them
and this IN spite OF the fact that the breech ma
stand the strain OF heavy charges. There can be no
doubt tnat good many brccchloaders have been
totally disabled during trials on board snip,
and that III many Instances great diifculty has
been experienced IN charging the gun aiter the
nring OF q few rounds However the heads OF
tue department are either TOO enainored OF theiI
system 10 perceive It's defects or else they are
willing TO acknowledge TO the country that the
2OOOvOJOf voted Tor tho rc-arnnR of the fleet have
been cast into tue sea. The French authorities o
course tried these guns before adopting them, but
| the experiments were conducted under the careful
superintcndence oil the Inventor, ana they passed
muster sun IL seems odd that the artillery commit
tee should have accepted u system now almost uni
versally c0ndeIned, far heavy ARTILLERY is con
cerned, without subJccng II tO tine severcst tests.
since we wr0ie al account OF the French fleet las
year, the ocean has been set alOat aud Will III
ready for This vessel IL little larger than th,
Magenta, and viii carry fourteen runs thus dlsiri
buted:Four guns Of twoDt seven centimetfe3 &C. 81
inchesj and two Of twenty-four centiInctres (9.4'
nches) In her central battery; four guns Of twenty
four centimetres In the fixed turrctS at each
OF the battery, and on The upper deck four bronze
pieces OF twelve CenDetres. The guns cONtained m
the turrets Will be placed on movable platforms
which Will allow OF each piece sweeping n deniicIr
Gle, and this ut an elevation Of eight metres and
half above the water line. The Ocean Will hav'
four sister ships, the Friedland, Marenao
suifren and Ricbeiieu. The three iirstnamod nav,
which Will diner from Inc others IN 30 far tnat 10 vii
be propelled by two screws, has only just been de
signed. The next class has only two representa-
yves, The Magenta and Soferino. The former vessel
whch last year carried only ten guns Of the caiibr
louicate0 already. IA now armed with fourteen guns
yen guns Ia her central battery and four guns OF II
cehimeues l1s0 inchesl on her upper deck ~ 10 ia