New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-01
FOREIGN NAVAL NOTES.

Tho shipbudlng programme Of the French Navy
has attracted unusual attention among American Naval
officers of late because OF the calling together recchuy
81 the Cabinet Council to sanction the suppression CT
the Council of the Admiralty, and to replace 1t with
a superior Marine Council The Minister OF Marine.
however has approved Of the designs for two OF to
three proposed shps-the LazareCsr1ot and the
Charles Martel-and thor construction will be tc1un
carly next year The plans of the third vessel. the
Jaureeuberry. almost ready, and 1t Is expected
will he accepted at once. The two ships first men
toned are to be nearly alike. They are each to be
oso feet I'm length 6S feet breadth Of beam. and have
disbursement Of about 200 tons They are to have
r'nIe engines Of about IL 900 horse power
intended to give a speed OF II knots an hour WIN
atrraI draught Their armament will consist Of two
47-t0n four 32-toh guns an" 0's"0 -'n'" o''S'''
loading guns.
The new French ironclads and cruisers are not only
bcipo increased In size, but many improvements are
being added and the designers seem to be following
the example Of the English Admiralty. But, II the
criticisms OF the English naval officers are true, the
English naval contractors have not been careful about
making tbe ships habItable and they have also
neglected 10 provide light ventilation and room to get
ahout the machinery, all Of which indispensable.
The armament of some OF the French vessels has.
however been severely criticised II has Been pointed
out that there Is general aDt OF oVcrgunning, winch
makes them dangerous at sea.
The Russian cruiser Pamiat Azov, in which the
Czarevitch and the Grand Duke George are to be
taken on a cruise to india China and Japan. seems
10 have excited the intense admiration Of the Ad
mraty and the construction and engineer officers OF
the British Navy while she was lying In Plymouth
sound bpt unfortunately for the English service, they
were NOT permItted an official inspection Of her. She
,s soid IN have every conceivable improvement, and
is fitted in the most admirable order Her system OF
internal communication by telephones and telegraphs
- dnscribed as perfec and also are her arrange
mcnts for hoistng boats 1t is rare indeed TO find all
the novelties in complete working order and thoroughly
efficient
One ~ the English service papers severely critlcises
tho Admiralty because one Of the officers of the Con-
sruction Corps of the United states Navy was per-
uitted N visit the Portsmouth dockyad. 1t says:
The action Of the Admiralty in permitting the con-
sructor of the United states Navy TO visit our dock
yards and inspect the various vessels OF war bndlng
and repairing therein Is, cannot heip relharulg' lu
from commendable. The constructor OF the Ohited
states Navy has presumably asked for the permission
becauso he homes TO obtain valuable Information
and TO learn a thing two In the course OF MS
nerambula+ions We have nothing TO gain and every
hing 10 lose by courtesy Of this description soe
oontotvcS from their backwards and sarsenais In
which am strongly of opinion that we shouid ihoa'e
them"
This outburst may have been suggested by report
of the German and naval experts VINO nave eoen'N
made tour of inspection Of the TURKISH Navy ihes
found 90 they report. that the Turkish war vessels
"a
them dangerous for crews to sail in' This may DE
inst criticism for in other country In Europe mas
there been so little advance In late years as In turkey
so little disposition to keep up with the times bu'
perhaps the Turkish Government VIII AWAKEN 10 ule
fact that the Greek Navy is being augmented ana
that II Is not wise TO allow its Navy to continue
dacaving In view Of the fact that Greece has re-
Gently invited bids for additional ships and guns II Is
nossible that she anticipates opportunity for the
DISPLAY of q commanding naval force In the Le'aht.
No little concern is felt by Greece at the events Cig
rIace I'm Macedonia and which appear to favor Bull
garan desires and should any change take place tla'
would be unfavorabe to the aspirations which Greece
looks upon as legitimate it is likely that her naval
| mowers may be called upon to give weight 10 the
demand for proper compensation. Itlt tho lihueIoc
of the Greek Navy will depend much upon the att-
ude of England France and Russia the piOte I'LL,
ncsyers for If they should stand aloof when te TURK
tsh Motley should be felt as unjust toWaru prcecS
the latters force would probably be more than MATCH
| for Turkey
The constructors Of the English Navy have sug-
otod N the Admiralty the necessity for making aera-
| tons on the cruiser Magiclenne now ON the west
coast of Africa All Of the prisoners, minor or Other
wise are confined in cells directly over the engine
| room To confne a man in cell on board snip Tor
fourteen DAYS Is in itself severe punishment Dut
| hor ~ in several cases. the cells close to the
! steam-pjpeS or engine room the punishment APP
nroacbos .barbarous cruelty" 1t has been report ID
in several instances in ships Of the Audacious Tourma
line and CarysfOrt classes that prisoners nave Deeh
fnund dead in the cells from heat and want OF Neha-
| tion To imprison a man for a breach OF dsclpnIo
| is legal but to grill him alive mas not been recoS-
| niZed punishment In any navy.