New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-05
FOREIGN NAVAL NOTES.

The recent collision between the lron-clad Temerare
ord the Orion through which the former vessel had
her side cut down to the waters edge by sahtihe
blow against the latter, has been followed WIN sero
criticism on the part OF the Engnsh ser'loe p'Poi.
as to the deficiency in strength OF the steer plates
the Temeraire. They declare that serious coIisoh
between any two of the British on-clads wouid SEM
one or the other the bottom That would De aioS'
q certainty and it would scarcely need much Oh an
arcument 10 demonstrate 1t. 1t Is not always the
annarent strength Of vessel that Is proof against
dangerous results from collision, for strengn ne eas
weight and the momentum OF o mass OF iVVoU VI
e,y To- resnlt dsastrousy There have been &C;
cdentsn with American naval vessels that have arosed
pand hut who can recall such disasters that Of
the collision of the Iron Duke and the Vanguard IN
HeSiterranean year ago and the sinking of the
Grosser Kurfurst off FoIkestone'
The English cruiser Barrosa, when examined after
her gun trials at Portsmouth few days ago, exposed
SYMPTOMS of fimsiness and fraity that were really
astounding IL is claimed that her sister cruisers
the Barham and Belona intended for the Australian
service, are worse specmins OF fraginty, ana VIII
REQUIRE a considerable sum of money to strengthen
their bulls TO withstand the shock OF their l-2nch
ouc, firing guns which form their main armament.
The Nile now in the dock at Portsmouth, Is sara 10
present remarkable appearance Owing 10 tne per,
tect forest of shores planted under her bottom 10
prevent collapse that has been dreaded as lar rrUl
impossble A report recently cabled that the
mean had shown signs OF weakness, and was not as
tight as the proverbal bottle Botn Of THESE snPs
were built in a hurried fashion, and with a view 10
show that work can be done cheaply in Govern
ment yards as outside
NJ. Gerville Reache, in his report on the French
Navy estimates made some remarkable exposures as
10 the condition OF the modern vessels In presenting
some carefully worked out tables and comparisons nc
declares that France. regards ships OF war VIII
Tho fnla
London Times, apparently is not in accord with this
alarming announcement, for IL says; " III EneIahd
as AGAINST any three Powers in Europe, were as well
oil as France already is as against the Inpe Aance
We abould have great for congratulations but 10
mt ourselves in that condition by 1895 we should
have at once lay down at least forty ironcads be-
sides other vessels by the score.
new torpedo called the Victoria which is similar 10
the Sims Edison torpedo in many respects Is attract
ing the attention Of British naval experts It's cher
novelty is its superior management. BY It's mechan-
ism orpedoes Of any pattern, particularly the White
head are completely under control at all times The
Victoria Is controlled by cable of feather-welght
almost which may paid out from the ship or shore
station until the friction OF the water causes strain
upon II sufficient to release spring, when the cable
then begins to pay itself out from the torpedo The
tiameter Is twenty-one inches Its range is two and
onehalf miles 1t has three small electro motors one
Gi and stoppng and the third regulates the time of
ring the torpedo, and also brings IL 10 the surface
when desired.
The CHILEAN Government has been conducting series
of experiments with heavy guns to determipe which
kind they would adopt In trial as TO the superiority
of the Krupp or the De Bange (French guns the re-
mort was made In favor of the former. shells and
sbraunel, were both used With shells at a.30o yards
fine Krupp guns fired 552 in sxtyhye minutes. and the
De Bange los in $50 minutes. Win shrapne1 n tle
and De Bange Isl in sixtytwo minutes a. me
snncnson of the trials the Krupp guns were reported
co co. he in GOOD condition. while sundry defects were
apparent in the other guns
4 recent invention for drill with military weapons
= an electric target, which Is built up In sections
THE target itself not novel, but II has an electric
registering apparatus When bullet slriHe' .le