Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1888-03-14
Tho German. Italian and British
Navies.

NASIGss
PARIS, March IA lengthy statement
has been prepared showing the naval
strength Of Germany and Italy. the two
powers with whom France may expect to
contend in case Of war, together with q
review Of the French marine. sumlnar-
lied it may be said that the German force
on the British channel and on the ocean
consists of seven frigates Of the old
model, of which the Kenig Wilhelm,
with eight inch aafinor and twenty three
eight-ineh guns, is type. These frigates
are not only inferior to the new French
ironclads in point of armor, battery and
speed, but would sustain an unequal con-
test even with the French frigates of the
OLD models. Besides these seven frigates
Germany has no ships of the. line. She
has, however, for harbor defenses six
armed cruisers, fourteen monitors and q
number of gunboats. To oppose Ger
many in the channel and on the ocean
France has. at her disposal three ironclads
of 1900 tons each, armed with four ten
inch and four nine-inch guns; five IRON
clads Of the second class, carrying four
nine inch guns; and five cruisers, with ar
NOR varying from twelve to twenty
inches in thickness, and each carrying
two thifteeh- inch gans. There also three
cruisers armed each with fwo nine-inch
guns, besides four gunboats
In the Mediterranean it will be tile
Italian and not the German fleet with
which France will have to deal This
consists, first, of eight frigates of the old
style, the armor of which is generally
thin, varying from nine inches down
to as low as four and. one-half, and
armed for the most part with nine
inch guns, Four of these may be rated
as second class cruisers. Then come the
thfee enormous irgnclads the Duilio,
the Dandolo, and Laftalf5, carrying one
hundred ton guns and sheated with steel
plates % inches thick and which are said
to be the strongest war ships afioat, They
have the disadvantage however, inseper.
able from their great size, Of being I'M
wieldy and IL should also be stated that
they are not full afnfed vessels, the
sheathing only covering the most exposed
have another of these monsters in process
of construction but not far enough to be
ready for use should war be declared in
the spring. Therefore Italy may be said
to have ready for action three iron clads
of the first class, four of the second class
and the rest Of doubtful natufe. -,
Against these France has in the Med.
iterranean the Admiral Dupere 10, 500 tons
% inch armor; from 10 inch guns; the
Devastation, and the Courbet of 1900
tons and II inch armor; the Tudomptable
and the Terrible of 8, 300 tons of 20 inch
armor; the Redoubtable, the Friedland
the Colbert and the Trident of $500 tons
and inch armor, besides & swarm OF
gunboats and second class cruisers.
The report concludes by saying that
while the three big Italian ironclads are
incontestibly superior to any three Of the
French squadron, yet the latter, as {
whole, is believed to be more than equa
to the task of taking care Of King Hum
bert's navy when the necessity shall
arise AS for the German fleet the French
naval authorities claim that it will bt
Theoretically sealed up in the ports of thu
Baltic and North seas as twas in thu
winter of 1901.