Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-03-30
TINS Real SOurce of EnsIRnd's
strength.

In view of the fact that nearly
every European telegram comes to
US burdened with mutterlngs of
the British lion, the naval power
of the United Kingdom is just now
invested with such peculiar inter-
est that 1t becomes worth while to
define the extent and character of
that feet, which must always con-
stitute the, main factor of Eng
lands fighting strength, promising
that O large share of the recent
supplemental credit has been de-
voted to naval purposes, although
the regular appropriation for 1877
exceeded $50, 00O,O 900.
At the last date covered by off,
cial report-December 81, 1s76-the
British war fleet was composed Of
PAL vessels in commission. The
number of men employed in the
service was not less than 10000,
including upwards Of SO, 200 sailors
and 1900 marines. We need not
say that the most important divis-
ion of the force is made up of ar.
mored ships. OF these at the date
mentioned there were fifty-eight,
from which aggregate, however,
should be deducted three construct.
ed specially for colonial defense,
and eight considered too old or too
badly built to put to sea; leaving,
therefore, a net total of forty
seven ironclads. Without run
ming through the catalogue of
names, we may say that this list
includes vessels Of all dimensions,
from the Infiexible, of more than
ll,0OO tons, whose sides are thirty
nine inches thick, three-fifths of
which thickness is represented by
Iron plates, and which carries four
cannon, each of eighty.one tons
weight, besides steam engines of
5000 horse power, to the Favorite,
the smallest ironclad under the
English flag, whose armor is only
four inches thick, but which, in
any other navy, would be for
midable craft, having capacity of
more than 5000 tons, engines of
100 horse power and an anna.
ment of ten 9-ton guns.
Such was the state of things at
the beginning of last year. Let US
now see what progress was made
during the next twelvemonth.
According to the programme put
forward by the Fist Lord of the
Admiralty, six ironclads were to
be finished during 1877, and all the
unarmored vessels then on the
stocks were TO be brought nigh to
completion. 1t was promised
moreover, that new ironclad OF
the first class should be begun, to-
gether with a ram Of sufficient
power to cOl,e with certain re-
doubtable engines of war said TO be
building in continental harbors,
and, in addition, an unarmored
corvette, sloop and two sailing
vessels. In word, the Minister
that during the fnai. eial
term of lS77-7S the national yards
should add to the fleet more than
1900 tons, while private contract
ors were to build for government
account almost half as much
again.
Notwithstanding its inability to
completely fulfill the above pro-
gramme, the English Government
has added a good deal to the verlt-
able solidity of its naval force.
Four colossal ironclads were fin
ished and sent to sea in 1877,
namely, the Thunderer, the Dread
naught, the Alexandra, and the
Temeraire. One of these, the
Thunderer, ought to have been
ready for service much earlier, but
on the day when it was to make q
trial trip one of its boilers explod-
ed, causing an amount of damage
which it required six months to
repair. Besides the two engines of
5000 horse power, which move its
screw, there are on board this yes.
sci twenty-six other steam engines
and a hydraulic machine for the
management of the helm, the re-
volving turrets and other parts of
the apparatus. The Thunderer Is
covered with plates about IA inches
thick and carries four cannon, each
weighing 38 tons. It's mean speed
is said to be thirteen and half
knots. Besides armored ships of
the same character, the English
Admiralty has lately constructed a
number of vessels not plated and
furnished with relatively light
armament, but designed to show
exceptional fast going qualities.
Some distinguished specialists
have severely criticised these ex-
periments, and the controversy on
the subject is far from being ended.
1t Is said, for instance, that the
new vessels are too powerful for
simple cruisers and too weak to
engage with ironclads. 1t is GER
tain that one of the finest types,
the Shah, was constrained after a
few minutes to renOunce the idea