, 1876-09-02
THE GERMAN & ENGLISH NAVY.
(From the Spectator)

The new number Of the Edinburgh
Review contains an article on the growth
of the German Navy, which VIII be very
profitable reading for EngIishmen The
fact that a new maritime Power has arisen
in Europe has as yet been scarcely realised
in this country. Our Fleet IS a very
ancient element in our strength, whether
for offence or defence, aud the Fleets
against which it has from time to time
been employed are of corresponding an
tiquity. Again, a fleet is naturally asso.
ciated with the harbours in which it lies
when at rest, end the popular knowledge
of naval ports is, for thu most part, Ilmited
to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
It is difficult to remember that when next
England is at war, she will have to reckon
on the alliance, or the opposition, or the
neutrality of q Power, which, no longer
ago than 1949, possessed one neWly-built
sailing corvette and two rowing %guuboats
Since that time, the progress, first OF the
Prussian, and next of the German Navy,
has been steady and rapid. The want Of
ships was brought keenly home 10 the
Prussian people by the blockade Of the
German ports by Da ish ships il the
Sleswig .Ho'stein var, and by the autumn
of I849 the single corvette had groW1 into
a force of 45 vessels, carrying 81 guns,
and manned by Is oIncer5 AMI 1903 men.
How modest a Navy this still constituted
will be seen when we add that Of these
As vessels only three were propelled by
sail or steam. The remljling II were
merely rowing gunbOats. During the
years between 1919 and 1868, the Prus,
sian Government kept the increase Of
the Navy constantly in view, and at the
end of the latter year the 40 rowing gun
boats had been diminished by two, while
the single sailing-yessel had grown to
eight, and the two steamers to 81. The
necessity OF o Navy for Prussia was first
asserted in the Chamber by the Minister
OF War in 1865. Without it, he said, she
could neither defend her coasts, nor pro-
tect German trade, nor maintain and eX.
tend her European Influence. WHh the
strong comm0n-sense that has done so
much to make Prussia great, General Won
Room dismissed for the time the idea Of
making Prussia q maritime Power of the
frat rank. He only asked the means Of
making head, in case of necessity, against
the secondary Powers of the Baltic, and
the North Sea. The Opposition Ia the
Chamber steadily refused to grant the
Government what they asked, but, ia spite
of their resistance, the Government went
on adding to the Fleet, and Immediately
before the outbreak OF the war with Aus
tria. it consisted Of 40 steamers, 8 sailing.
vessels, and SO rowing gunboats, forming
a total of 50 vessels, carrying 400 guns,
and manned by 154 officers and ,693 men.
After the war of 1866, all opposition to
the will Of the Government was at an end.
Prussia became possessed of two ironclads,
one originally laid down for the Turkish
Government, the other constructed IN
France. In three years. these 2 ironclads
had increased to 6, and by 1872 to 9. In
1873 the Imperial Government introduced
a scheme for the construction of a Navy
which should correspond with the mar
vsllous development which the destinies
of Prussia had Undergone. The ironclad
feet was to consist Of 8 frigates, 6 cor
vettes, Z monitors, and 2 batteries. OF
unarmoured ships, there were to be 20
sorvsttss. 8 despstch.vessels, Is gunboats,