The morning news., 1889-03-11
NAVIES OF EUROPE.
The Gigantic Armaments of the Great
Maritime Powers.

London SpeclQt 10 Tue NeE OTR I1eFutu
The subject of national defense is about to
be dealt With within parliament, and the
British alton will learn soon the scope OF
the new programme and cost, about which
there has been so much speculation. John
Bull has rot got surnRs to draw upon
like his cousin on the other side of the At
lantic, or the revenues of suppressed mon
asteries to annex for the purrose, like the
NJ kado of Japan. Whatever Great Britain
does il this way is forced upon her, and,
therefore, as a side light, will be found be-
low some brief account of what other ma
tions are doing, or purpose to do, tolncrease
their naval strength. Naturally one turns
to France first as by far the most important
of continental naval power, possessing
maritime strength second only in number
to that of this country, and said to be
superior IN organization, readiness fer war,
and preparation for coast defense. France
has always paid more attention TO the speed
and steaming capacities of her ships, and
therein lies her chief advantage to-day.
When Admiral Aube was minister of marine
the shipbuilding policy was mainly dl-
rected to supply fast cruisers for destroying
commerce or narrowing an enemy's coast
towns.
ADMIRAL KRANTz's POLICY.
But Admiral Krantz has favored return
to the construction of armor clads and
belted cruisers, and eleven aImored vessels
are now III course Of construction, five Of
which will le completed this year and the
others in 1890 'and 1891. Two steel-clad
cruisers, WAC steam over twenty knots, are
also TO be completed within the same period
Eighteen cruisers of not less than 900 tons
displacement are on the stocks and the pro-
gram for 1888 '91 includes several torpedo
cruisers. Along with the rapid completion
of cruisers ordered by Aube, an expenditure
has been authorized for the protection OF
the harbors Of Cherbourg and Brest, and
these works have already been begun. In
many ways the administration of Admiral
KrantZ has been noteworthy and charact-
erized by marked ability and energy
NAvIEs OF ITALY AND RUSSIA.
Next to that of France for the present,
but some way after It, stands the maritime
strength of Italy, rivaled by that of Russia.
The huge monsters that Italy has launched
possess questionable value as fighting ma
chimes, but they carry very powerful guns
and have great speed. Tne program of
18SS-'91 contemplates a gradual increase in
every type or class OF ship, from the
armored battle ships through to pro-
tected cruisers of which class this nation
owns some splendid specimens, down to
speedy torpedo craft and armed sea-going
tugs.
Russia stands third in Importance. so far
as relates to its naval strength among the
European powers. The program of ship
building for this nation dates from 1881,
and saying that it is likely to be completed
in shorter space of time than originally
contemplated, there seems to have been
little or no departure from its main lines.
In addition to the then existing feet it was
proposed to build nineteen first-class battle
ships, four second-claSs and ten first-class
cruisers. The armor-clads are now being
turned out at the rate of three or four
year and the cruise nearly as fast. Two
battle-ships are on the stocks and four more
cruisers have been ordered in the BalUic.
1t was only owing to early closing in of ice
that another battle-ship was not launched
last year
GERMANY's NAVAL STRENGTH.
The succession to the throne Of Emperor
William ii. whose interest in his navy is
second only to that of his brother, Prince
Henry of Prussia, was contemporary with
the reorganization Of the German admir-
atty, Baro Won der Goltz the new chief,
being entrusted with the thorough rehabih-
tations of the naval service. Not only had
Germany practically ceased to add to her
iron-clads since 1880, but she had never re-
placed those ships which, from age or ac-
cident, had become inefficient. Looking
to what Russia was doing in the Baltic and
tie growing needs Of colonial development.
it would have been strange if Germany had
still remained idle. The programme OF 1889 to
1895, Which has now been authorized in
cludeS the construction of ten coast ser
vice battle-sAips, four foreign service battle
ships, seven protected and four parCiy-prO-
tected cruisers, besides a torpedo craft.
Although the cost of tins programme is to be
charged to several budgets, the vessels
are all to be ready for Use, with the com
pletIon of the Baltic and North Sea canal,
b. 1891
UNCLE SANS NAVY.
The United States viii possess a navy
which is bound to be factor III any con-
sderation of the question of naval su-
premacy. The Texas battle-ship, building
at Norfolk navy-yard, and the marine bat
tle-ship TO be constructed at New Yo k
nsvy-yard are looked upon by English
experts as frst-rate vessels Of the class they
represent. But it is in regard to cruisers
or commerce deStroyerS," as Secretary
Whitney calls them In his annual report
that the ates look at present. like running
tie English record very close. The Charles
ton, Newark, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and
the San Francisco will De protected cruisers
which any power would b9 prOnd to own.
While the United States, so far as their
opponent was concerned, was absolutely
supreme at sea. their commerce was utterly
ruined by the depredatlons Of half-a-dozen
fast vessels, acting ON well-thought-out and
ably-executed plans. 1t was the aston of
these vessels telling on insurance rates that
did the damages, and no one III England to-
day appears to believe that ner cruisers are
sufficient to prevent similar raids on her
commerce If she " ent TO war. While such
belief is prevalent it is not even needed that
there should be a set fight. War would
cause panic, and prohibitive rates Of in
surance would rule. 1t is for this reason
ana because 1t is Lecessary to restore coAti-
dence that the government is going to in
crease the navy, but even now they are
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