The New York herald., 1871-10-27

fort now existing In the centre OF st. Petersburg
ana he wrote that In creating that city he made "a
loop hole by which the light OF Western trade aud
civilization were TO be admitted into the darkness
o. hau oriental barbarsm, in which Russia was
then buried" To Peter who died In 1885, Is due
Inc cfedit OF commencing the structure OF navy
that now ranks among the first IN the world, and is
every day increasing In strength. During the
eightcenth century and the wars OF the French
republic and oil Napoleon the navy. stln In its in
iancy was not able to take part In any OF the great
naval combats tnat marked tnat era and besides 1t
was part OF early Russian policy TO use 1t In the Bal
tic and Black Sea. The object OF this paper will be
to trace Its history including notices OF opera
courtesy were exchanged between the navies Of
Russia and OF the United States.
PETER THE 0RKAT.
Peter the Great finding Russia, rs stated, without
SHIPS, laid the foundations OF navy by employing
small vessels on Lake Perpas. he learned practical
seamansnip 10y cruising on board Dutch and English
Venice Leshon and Ha% Hond for be
Looking to more extended maritime policy he be
sleged SIEGE, and took the city Of Azof near the
Black Sea. In order 70 improve his subjects he
Iostered commerce with the western Powers OF
Europe, and. sensible OF his own defects, left
went at frst with q few attendants, to live at
saardam. famous shipDuilding port in Holland,
Zimmerman by name, he led the lie OF common
shlpwrlght He rose early In the morning, boiled
ius OWu put anu TccelVeu wages IOr MS l0DOf 10
the practice OF shipbui,ang ana Kindred trades he
ADDED various studies, rs natural philosophy astr0n-
1ms afa a geogaraphy. From Holland he went a Sn
stately form, his Intellectual forehead. his piercing
black eyes, his Tartar nose and mouth his gracious
smile his fr0wn, black with the stormy rage and
hate OF barbarOns tyrant, and above all, strange,
nervous convulslon which sometimes transfxed his
countenance during few moments into an object
II was impossible TO LOOK upon without terror; the
immense quantities OF meat which he devoured, the
plnts OF brandy which ne swallowed, and which 1t
was he carefully distilled win his own hands;
the fool who iabbered at his feet, the monkeys who
grnned a. the back oi ms chair were for some weeks
metropolis. He removed to Deptfdrd and returned
TO Holland in yacht whcn Wilham III. presented
men," With tho Information and practical expe-
rience thus acquired Peter came back to Russia,
where he at once began to lay, broad and deep, the
| foundations Of the MuscOvite empire.
| STATIONS OF THE RUSS IAN NAVY.
lne Rus Ian navy CONSISTS OF two great divisions
the feet Of the Baltic and that Of The Black Sea.
| Each OF these fleets is divided into sections, Of
h IN es ee arc a.
toned IN the Caspian thirty in the Aral sea- forty
on the nP Pacific or Siberian station ten N the White
OF the world. The distribution OF these vessels has,
OF course reference to the policy Of Russia both In
terna and external The section In the Black Sea,
| which is now being rapidly increased in numbers,
character and strength, has lis headquarters at
cruise on the coasts Of Persia and Turkistan, the
latter being the most advanced territory acquired
Russia in close proximity 70 Brilsn India. TSe
Pacific squadron, Stationed on the Amoor, occupies
q commanding position In reference TO China ana
Japan and late Intelligence the effect that the
important Island Of Sagallen has been permanently
OF the treaty Powers. TIE Amoor squadron was
recently largely Increased.
THE FLEET RECONSTRUCTED IN $780,
Before the Crimean war the imperial navy con-
sisted Of about TWO hundred ships, principally
with s4o1 guns. The vessels were mostly con.
sructed or fra very inferior article in point OF du
rab!ity and LIABILITY 70 splinsterlng IN action The
tire navy has been undergoing rec obstruction. What
remained of the old ships after the Crmean war we're
thoroughly 0verhauled and what were found worth
preserving were altered, repaired end every i'm
provement in guns, &c. introduced. The agents Of
Of shipbuilding and improvements IN gunnery that
have gone on In foreign countries, ana these nave
Yards, particularly at Cronstadt, one Of the nnest
harbors for warlike purposes IN the world little
s cast se q guns sruPp Wss
made In presence OF the Emperor at the walkow
the regular cabre used was nine -iacL. The guns
now IN use IN nrng reesny sent shot through
! the English rOn-clad Hercules
/ NAVAL MOVEMENTS NOW IN PROGRESS.
In letter from Moscow written early last month,
navy are siil going on Sailors at Oronstadt are
esng III III nS IA aae au
numbers OF officers and men are also engaged In
similar exercises i is Is known that IN IN 1871 an ua,
new vessels and reconstruction OF others. Thirty
| one millions OF ruOles were appropriated last year
for harbor Notifications In Riga ana ODESSA. Par
ticular attention is given to the school OF marine
cadets at ST. Petersburg, government institution
similar 10 the Naval Academy at Annapolis In
February, 1871 orders were sent TO Cronstadt FOR
building two more monitors on the American plan,
the remodellng OF several gunD0ats and the con.
structlon OF storm deck for the frigate Admiral
Tcnitchagon. Orders were issued al the same time
10 purchase IN England eight steam vessels for OBJ
servatlon service IN the Black Sea, and to
SweabOrg for the construction OF q number
CT ron barges and refltting several steamers.
A notilla was ordered also to be con-
structed tor immediate service In the Caspian
Sea. These movements are certainly indicative OF
determination to bring the imperial navy up to a
high standard. II Is stated that there ts some
scarcity OF seamen, and that superior inducements
are offered TO good mariners to enter the service
The increase or the Caspian Sea squadron may be
considered one OF the effects OF the modification OF
the treaty OF Paris this year.
PRESENT STRENGTH OF THE RUSSIAN NAVY.
The naval strength OF Russia as 1t was at the
latest dates, not including the additions ordered
during the present year. 1iood as f0llows:-Cuiras-
siered turret ships q; frigates, s; monitors 10;
corvettes anu clippers 80; gunooats 6s; sreamtugs
12; other vessels, 14j-t0ta, 2o6. To man these
were-Admlrals and holders OF separate commands
l4Iol- total, 45,526. These vessels all either
active service or can be made ready for sea in
short time. The following Iaole Will show the con-
dition o. the imperial navy from the date OF its COM
plete reconstrucuol:-
Year Hon-cods. Monitors. Seamers 'Te'smg Teasags
1854. 49,. 16 263 As
lsees...... II II POO 50
lS6s....... 20 IA 2le 81