The Hawaiian gazette., 1883-10-31
The Naval and Military Power Of China
TEIE NAVY.

The Chinese navy, which dates back to q
period before the foundation Ct the British
navy, Is 10 longer (says New York cOntem-
poraryl . navy OF war juuks With high bull
wzrks and pentagoral portholes, and with guns
mounted on imnoYabie carriages. Chinese
naval architecture : now not unlike that Of
Powers Of advanced civilization. Millions have
been spent IN the construction Of vaT steamers
Of modern type, and IN the establishment Of
doclSyaris and arseuals, in which uuniiiOus
Of var OF al kinds may be produced. About
fourteen years ago N. Miguel, an cheer Of the
French navy. began building dockyard on
the river Min, few miles below the treaty
port Of Foochow. and which can be easily for
iifsi. st the end Of seven years iron works,
rolling mills, engine factories and building
slips-in fact. all the plant Of naval yard
were II full working order. IN which tine she
engines. and IL some cases the armament, for
10 less than fifteen vessels were built. There
was. also ! school for naval officers formed;
also : training ship was attached 70 the estab-
lishmsui. In 1875 . navy yard was established
near Shanghai. and, though there are a few
EuElishmsu and Americans holding posts IN II,
tie control Of II Is exclusively IN the hauds Of
The Chinese The Chinese, however, do not
rely on their own dockyards and constructors
alone, for, N addition to the feet Of native
production, they have recently had constructed
in England a series Of guuboais Of the latest
types, armed with the must improved and
heaviest guns. In ISIS Sir William Arm
strong buili for the Chinese Government four
gunboats-ths -ALPh9, Beta, Gaal1l1 and Dzfz.
The first two are lis feet il length, p feet
beam ~. feet draughi, 5l9 tons burden. and
each carrying Isl ton gun. Tie two latter
r : 49,
draUghi, 200 tons burden, and each carrying .
Sc ton gun Of British pattern. They are built
Of iron, and carry 50 tens Of coal and 50 rounds
ammunition. -Four other gunboais were bulls
Oh the TYNE aud were delivered to the Chinese
Government IN 1879, each being armed with
IS ton Eun Of the Armstrong type. They
are Of substantially the same design as those
described above. The most important differ
ence is that they are bulk Of steel instead Of
iron, and are double ended Chat Is, iheirstern
and low lines are Of the same model and fitted
with rudders on each end,) to enable then 10
steam forward OF backward with almost equal
facility. They were originally named The
Es1si'oE, liza, Ia and IRoa, but were after
wards renamed to something more Chinese
the Chin Pei, Chin 11n, FL Ting and LVli
Ling. Their principal dimensions are. rs
feet IN length, 20 feet breadth Of beam, l2ls
feet depth OF hold, 9is feet dTaughi Of water,
80 tons burden, and with an effective speed
Of 10 knots an hour. Each has two pairs Of
compound engines, and Is propelled by twin
screws. Their hulls arc divided by four trans
verse bulkbeads, and by longitudinal central
bulkhea6s forward Of the engines, thus giving
them ni1e distiuc; waieriight compartments
The engines, boilers, and magazines are under
the water line, ana are further protected from
the shot and shell Of the eDemyby horizontal
under water deck over thea. The IS ton gun
Is pivoied forward Besides this heavy gun,
each has two u FOUNDER bTeech loading guns
asterr, and two 10 bzrrelled Calling guns of
IS calibre, to be fired from various Positions,
broadside OF raking asiarn. The cost Of these
was Sl7e,i00 each, or S5Sl ton, machinery,
Rigging and all complete. (Tbe United States
steamer SdeH, Of 40 tons, cost Ss4I, s2s. or
81 .5e5 ton; the Nyac, Of the same size, $780,
es2, OF S5S5 ton; the EzfsTpTiss, els tons,
cost S4e9, l52, or SSH a ton; and the ESsez,
els tons, cost S477,4ll, OF $50 toni
These Chinese gunbosts are primarily intended
fer coast defence, but will no doubt give :
great deal Of trouble 10 the French war Tesseis
should they attempt 10 invade the ssaasty Of
the Celestial waters
The Chinese also have eight small iron gun
boats Of from 100 10 200 tons each, and each
carrying from two to seven bTeech loading
guns. At the Foocbow arsenal have been built
IL composite lwood and iroD) vessels. each
mourning one seven ton or One nine ton gun.
With other light guns; also one composite cor
rette carrying II guns-one Of II tons weight
also three steam transports. The Chinese have
also built at shanghai, tEo wooden frigaies
and FIVE iron gun vessels. The Chinese have
also bad constructed supply Of torpedo boats,
each 50 feet IN length, : feet breadth Of beam,
81 feet draught Of water, and with speed Of
IG knots an hour. They arebuili O. steel, in
Eziertight compartments, and arranged 70
work three spar torpedoes. Two years ago
the Chinese Government had built two sieei
twin screw cruisers Of $50 tons burden each, I
drawing Is feet Of water and with speed Of
ie knots an hour. Each vessel Is provided
with four broadEsde 40 poundz ri1es, and two
10 inch byeech loading pivot riaes, placed 81