, 1875-03-13
E R NJ Y
(From the Times. J

The AHgemeine Zeitung gives an account
OF the present strength and prospects Of
the German Fleet. There are three iron
clad frigates-tbe KONG Wilhelm, the
k%ronprinz, and Friedrich Karl, and four
others-the Friedrich der Crosse, Preussen,
Kaiser, and DeutschIand-wilI be COM
pIeted this year and the Crosse KurfGrst
In 1876. The Kaiser and Deutschland are
superior in dimensions, speed, equipment,
and powers of resistance to any Russian
vessel, are only equalled by the English
Sultan, Hercules, and Monarch and the
French Friedland, Marengo, and Souve-
rain, and are superior to the English Superb
and Tem6raire and the French Redoubta-
bic, which are being constructed. In time
Of war they will be battleships, while du-
ring peace they will be sent on any mission
for which a small ship is not sufficient.
Next come the iron-cIad corvettes. Of
these, the Hansa, destined for foreign SER
vice, will be completed this spring, while
two others will probably not be ready till
the end of next year. They are destined
for offensive coast defence, and will be sta
toned IN the waters near the German coast.
They are only surpassed by the much lar
ger English Iulexible, which is of much
greater draught. Three others are to be
built, but the time for beginning them is
not yet fixed. There are two monitors
the ArminiuS and the Prinz Adalbert-
three gunboats, and two Rhine monitors.
These last are designed to defend the
river and its fortresses between Mayence
and Vessel. The three ironclad gum
boats, which will be of light draugbt
and easily man@uvred, will be employ
ed on the coast and in shallow
waters. The two Rhine monitors are sta
toned in time Of peace at Coblentz, and
have each 60 sailors and six officers.
They cannot 90 higher up the river than
NTayence. Like the rest Of the Navy, they
will practise evolutions in the course of
next summer. Among the unarmed ves-
sells will be 90 corvettes, ten of which are
already in use !; another, the Louise, is Just
finished, and the Freya will be ready next
autumn. These two are on the model of the
Confederate ship Alabama. By the end of
next year the ThusneIda and the Hermann
will be added, these Icing three times as
strong as the Alabama, and four cased cor
vettes will be begun this year. These
latter will have an iron hull covered with
wood, the wood being coated with
plates Of copper and zinc. These corvettes
will cruise in distant seas wherever Ger
man commerce requires protection. There
are two despatch-boats in service and two
others will be begun this year, one of them
being an Imperial yacht of great speed and
Iuxuriously fitted up. Two more are
intended to be built. There are 1Sgun-
boats serving for coast defence and also
stationed at a tewimportant foreign stations,
such as Constantinople, the mouth of the
Danube, and the WestIndies. There will be
two gunnery ships, one of which has yet to
be built, for instructing the crews in the
management ofheavy guns Of every calibre.
They can be employed as batteries, as was
the case in 1870 with the Renown at Kiel.
There are three sailicg briggs for training
boys as sailors, and there will be %
torpedo-boats. Only six of these are built,
and two will be constructed this year.
When the projected vessels are all COM
pleted, the German Navy will rank third
among the Navies of Maritime Powers.