The Cecil Whig., 1886-11-06
The Savies of Europe.

iHiSO"iy OhmPrtidi Gd-eftr.
A return made recently to the British
Parliament of the strength of E Irupean
estimate OF the comparative eff 'ieucy of
the navy cur Government is now build
ing. The largest and fastest Europeon
war vessels belong to Italy. Her largest
ship, the Italia, has a displacement of
Gearly II 600 toDr, or about 5000 mole
than any other war vessel atioat. Not
withstanding this enormous bulk, the
Italia steams Is knots an hour, while the
fastest armor-clad in the British navy is
the Colossus. $50 tons, which attaius
15.4 knots. The Italia Carries the heav-
of four ch-loadng guns of 163 inches
calibre. Two other vessels, the Duilo
and the Dandalo, nearly approach tie
Italia in size and armament. Altogether
Italy has eleven war vessels of the first
class, and is building seven more, with
three of the second class She has one
torpedo vessel completed aud eleven in
progress, with fiity-fve torpedo boats
and twenty-eight iu progress.
Although England has larger navy
than any other Power. most of her ves-
sells are unprotected by armor or only
partially SO. She has twenty turret al
mor-clads completed and six more in pro-
gress. Her largest guns-eighty tons in
weight and of 16-inch calibre-are carried
by the lnt1exibe, but they are muzzle-
lpadiug. One of the vessels now in pre-
gress, the Sanspareil, with others of
smaller calibre, will carry two ll0-ton
guns, and with their completion f 1slal d
will then have the heaviest battery ailoat.
Seven armed cruisers of 5000 tons ale
building, three barbette ships are COM
pleted and six more are in progress. and
there are twenty-rine broadside ships also
in commission. When the ships in pro-
gress are completed England will have
three vessels of between II 900 and 1s,-
900 TONS built to compete in size aud a
m.neut with ItaIy's three great mon
sterS.
France has l6 trSt-class armpr clads,
of over | 900 tons, aud II osbers are in
progress. All the guns are breech-oadels
while England'S armament is mostly of
mnzzle leaders. The largest French guns
mor-clads of the second class, the largest
having displacement of 5000 tons. Rus
sia has 6 armored vessels in the Back
Sea fleet and Il battery ships aud moni-
tors, With > belted cruisers in the Baltic
fleet Germany has L. armored vessels,
ranging from 1000 to under 10, 900, ard
carrying guns of not more than little
over 10 inshes c,ilibre. She has also IA
of a smaller class under 1000 tons. Aus
tria has 10 armOred vessels Of from 5000
to over 1000 tons.
Compared with these great fleets our
navy will appear very small Tne largest
OF the new vessels whose construction
has been authorized by Congress- are two
5000 ton iron ciads They are, however,
to have a speed ot 16 knots an hour, fas-
ter than any English war vessel now
atloat. Tue bill passed by the last Con-
grtss provides for one cruiser which is to
possess the highest practible speed and
which, hence, ought to equal or exceed
the is knots an hour of the Italia. There
Is no necessity for our Government to er-
ter into the costly competition of Euro
pean Powers in turning out enormous
war vessels. We should. however, have
as fast and we'll armed vessels as there
are in the world, and it begius to look as
If we shall get them.