Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-28
THE COMING WAR.
GERkANYs NAVAL sTRRwaTR AND
RUssI&'s EcRsEREN.
value OF the German Vessels-Not a For.
nidabls Arrsy-The Best Cavalry
in Rurope

- az ~ lV'''i taNh I'm the morrow OF
her campaigns Of 1901 Germany. not
Sstcd Vet with victory, began to cherish
another glorious dream-her establish.
mont as great maritime and colonial
Power The German feet bad not written
tor itself n brilliant page in history.
ana the Ciernsns felt sore over their paNol
shortcomings, and SO, being a practical
people, whose governors do not waste
time IN idle byzantine discussions. thew
agreed that individuals Of acknowledged
competency should set their brains to
work 20 devise some remedy for national
deficiency. We must be as strong at
sea rs We are formidable on land was
told them by Bismarck, and they listened
20 the voice of their revercd prophet
and, through their representatives in the
hechstag, approved that fYoNepgrin-
0"'gSpt0H v hlch Is now being developed
IN the interests Of peace
At The present moment the German
navy Is only defensive instrument, but
the Germans hope and expect that the
day is not far distant when il will be
transformed into a weapon * offence. a
suitable feet of war, worthy of the title.
which Will launt the flag Of Fatherlaud
on every sen. and Will be in station
only N German colonies acquired as
the ransom Of conquered peoples.
Did not Bismarck declare that Ger
many would vii her future colonies at
Met, and since then has he not shown
that a vast colonial empire was the aim
Of his ambitions But, l repeat lust
now. the German navy IS restricted to
the modest TOic of defensive and pro.
tectiye organ, and tic consequences
were, so % speak, grotesque, in the
Two or three exceptions, when, 20
throw dust IN the ewes Of her rivals.
Germany v6ntured 70 Ice uavally bump
touS. The demonstration against Zanzi-
bar had not q glorious Issue, and the
performances OIL he German squadron in
the waters of Samoa frightened nobody :;
no. rot even the editors Of the SuudaV
Morning H@r0'a, although their article
did cause such immense satisfaction to
Gormany's Wsr Minister hcrr Won
CapriyL Just think Of it; the corvcttes
Adler, Olga. Carolina. and Sophia.
with tie gunhoat Ahatross, 1900
men and - guns 70 intim-
ldate q Polynesian princeliug Even
thepr3menade Of the squadron Of evolu-
non ln tie Mediterranean. the cruise Of
the Prince Adaloert. the Moltke, the
GneisUan, and tho stein only Won tho
elimination Of the Italians while out Of
Italy. where approval is bespoken. crit
c.sm Was severe over the manWuvres of
tae feet of the future. which were ss
clumsy as tbeyWere pretonti0us, marked
with the seal of that prudent timiditv
that was doubtless inspired by recollec-
tons 81 the catastrophe Of the Great
lIector.
still. for the defence, but entirely for
tie defence. Germany has every reason
to rely upon her naval forces, which con.
s-st of l3 ir0nc.ads OF the first class, II
az the second class, Is frgates and cor
VOTES To clnboats, and 6 drie0S, or dis
patch boats, with e vessels for special
service. and number Of t0rPWeurs.
IiIs material is commanded by vice
slmirals. b resr-admlrels, 81 first cap
tGn- % second captains .fyigate
csrtainS, 100 third captains captains
of corvet,es.) 179 ensigns, and 10 mid
shinmen, aud lis annual budget is Of
over 6J, 0J0,0 900 Of marks. 10, V0 600 OF
winch are spent 10 naval construction.
] should odd that some time ago when
General Stasch ran the Navy Depart
meut and had four men-oi-var built on
Ais pet system the so-calied "Sase"
model. the annual expenditure ion
slIp-uuildIng amounted 10 about 49,
01O0QJ marks on a budget not eX-
ceciinc that which IS now appropri-
ated. The frst-clsss German ironcleis
GRO generally very moderate Institutions,
heavily armed. but imperiectly armored
ana not easily manpuyred. Their hest
specimen. the Emperor William, dates
from 1868, and though modified half
dozen times in the course Of the last nine
ye.Ts. it is Familiarity aual-iied-by the
freucA-as a rieDr s0bot. The ironclaJ .
cruisers belong 70 the types of tine Prince. /
which was built at Stcttin 10y the Vulcan
Company in lSo1, aud the Princess VII /
helmIua, which was launched in thesa .
wear bv the Germania Company at hIel. /
and. u must be admitted, are excellent /
They have 400 tonnage, engines of /
e.0JU-horse power and can accomplish I
I4 knots per hour. with a powerful artIl- I
ley Of long and short pieces Of Is /
c.ftiTrt .rs-6 inches Calbre. revol- 4
Yer cauuols, aud q tube for throwing /
t0ruedoes. The German Admiralty .
considers the Irene and the Princess Vii /
helmiLa 20 be the best models 10 be .
adopted for feet OF combat composed /
Of vessels Of medium size which can .
manWuyre with prompttude and facility .
vel mounted with artillery, and equally
available for defence as for attack.
You wal remark that the German
theory is in contradiction with that OF
their allies, the Italians who zee no
tafety except IN leviathans. Germany
builds an her vessels at home, and the
of Stettin, Of hiel, and Of
the Weser enjoy q reputation which,
perhaps, j. not always justified. China
and Japan have had some expe-
ueuce On this point, and results not
-usrifvlng great expectations, the
distant East has renowned oil
further experiments in that dlTec-
ZION. The dock-yards, however, are
var, active. their organizations are good,
ana their lat constructions, the small
cruiser. the Schwable, and
tine lJ8-hOrse-pONe GuhOOat LbcI, "hlcH
Is 10 take the place OF the Albatross, are
fue vessels. Yet, notwithstanding It's
and persevering efforts, the
German navy is not III condition TO
pretend 10 domination in the Baltic, and
has no other prospect, at present, than
10 contribute 10 the defence Of the
coas. Of Dantsic and kisl some
experts assert that 1t would be prudent not
.osttempt more than the protectlonof the
military port Of Kiel (; all agree that It's
1nly possible offensive action at the ont
Freak Of hostihties would be directly
against Copenhagen. But it is probable
mat Denmark will carefully avoid all
orctext for aggression, and it Is pre-
,umsble that Russia viii not give her
spemv time enough TO create one. What
oeopie may think about it III Amer
ga, ] do not know, although pro-Teuton
sympathy Is 80 strong there, bat | am
prepared 10 assert that the entire Ger
man navy united will be unable to op- ,
pose the Baltic feet of Russia, With It's
.leyen ffst-class l0000-ton ironclads ,