New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-28
FOREIGN NAVAL NOTES.

|
| The English newspapers have been proinSe III uielr
naiso ~ Tho most recent addition to their naval fleet
| tho o. cIose cruiser Blenheim. 4 reader Of the
varors accounts of the launch at Blackwell on July
voud AZ once come 10 the conclusion that 1t was the
greatest event that could possibly take place on any
one day The fact is that the English people, as a
whole take the most intense interest In the develop
ment Of their navy, and demand the fullest and most
detailed account Of every snip produced Inc bc'-
him &c described as Of the finest ships IN Her
| ,,;t,s Navy that was maje-tcaly spceded
for, the land TO the world Of waters she IS said
IN have handsomer lines than the monster lrohcl~S'
and * even of a greater size than most oi licH S"c
will also have the most powerful armament ana DC
| the fastest cruiser the surface OF the seas. Inc
! p.nbeim is constructed on the cellular system, and
Is Of the best steel throughout, Is 80 feet III lchgt
65 feet BEAM % feet drauglt OF water "ooo uos as
nlacerneut an indicated horse power OF 2O,oOO' ana
| an estimated speed OF twenty-five knots an h'ur III
! 10th vcoter The battery is TO consist Of two
tu.ontv voon guns ten siXinch brccchloadorS, SIX
,oan thrcc nonndcr quick firing guns. one one men ana
Zen forty fycinch Norfcneld guns. and four four
tecn-inch Whitehead torpedo tubes She j udrihoI
along the sides. but Is PROVIDED wi tS nroIcciinc
The vials of the ship with thickness OIL aro P@'o
of six and one hall lhcHeN' ~
The impulse to the construction Of modern cruising
ships originated in dcprcdationS of the Confederate
nrivatccrs Alabama and Florida and in 17G3 il was re
solved by the states Of the Union To bh cruisers
canable Of overaking the Confederate vessels au Va
driving the merchant marine of hoSuie ro"cI 1o'"
the seas The Madawa~ka and the Idaho were TWO
of this class Of ships, and If the ClvH war hao Ho'
ended 81 soon they would have made a conspicuous
rocort This line Of action was quickly taken mp by
France and England. and both nations were al
work improving their navicS in the matter OF last
cruisers The Inconstant was the first snip OF 'hlS
class in the English Navy. She was lad down III
1896 and launched two years later she had as
placement of $50 tons. and engine power OF 1850
horses and speed Of sixteen and one half knot,
since then other powerful crscr. have been buII pt
nearly every maritime nation me sleoai Gu.ro u,
an enemy. well "a the protection OF thc mel %
marine Of their nac. They are designed not to hElt
the line of-battlc SHIPS Tut 10 steam away "'"' '
enemy of superior strength
The new programme Of the British Admiralty is
characterized by The service journals A. the greatest
effort that this country has ever made TO MAINTAIN ana
strengthen it, first line Of defence 1t Involves inc
cvncndi1urc Of 100000 600 in new ships. of the
seventy new ships be built more than half OF them
are to replace anquacd types. Twenty nine Of these
are to be Of the apollo type and ten OF the Edgar
class. Both OF these types are new. 1hc Ap'l'
type especially. has been severely criticised and
generally condemned by naval men. TIE experience
Of the British people in building several copies 81 an
untricd vessel has not been at all Of the hatnre 10
encourage tie repetition Of the experiment 80 many
or BATTLES hin that 1t IT, OF necessity dl'hcult. II not
impossible 10 produce any thing which shall cencriV
duplicate the only type of vessel which has met with
general favor-the PolyphemuS II has been gen,
torpsdo ram this curious ship has proved great
success.
II is that the cruiser Thrush the new vessel
which Prince George Of Wales commands has developed
scr,ous defects since she was first launched >milqr
reports were circulated at the time OF her trials bnt
they were contradictcd in VERY pcrcmptory fashion.
The Thrush was dispatched from Nhccrnc,, Immediately
after certain indispensable matters had been attended
IT, instead of her departure being dclayod in order
that her defects might b" properly rcnc''ico anu u'
result was that Prince George was obliged IN put ntp
Gibraltar. aud the vessel remained there uhdcf ItPd'
for nearly three weeks.
The Eoard Of Admiralty has bcrn brought into
uncnvable notoricty Of late 10y the frequent and
numerous reports If samples 81 bundcring.' The
big cruiser Nile recently sent ont for preliminary
steam trials Immediately aitcrward She was put
INTO d dock and had her water Inc painted three feet
higher than il bad previously boon. ms Nc--rl mas
cost the British taNpa'crs already more man -i-'o
600 and now that She i, submerged below the armor
her on the water line would have nothing 10 pierce but
her skin and a smear of white pant
The officers Of The British Navy seem 70 have had
many thing, TO growl about Of late but They are now
up in arms against the furnishings Of their state
rooms for which they are charged one penny a day.
As has been the custom in tn" United states Nay,
the officers hay, heretofore furnished their own rooms
Al great Inconvenience 20 themselves and AT con idcr
BE expense for transportation Of these things to ana
from their homes. The proposed change wa great
boon 10 the officers, and il 20 save them The
bother and expense Of taking their ba'htuhs. water
pitchers and bowls and oppalS ahout The "a
miraltY however. appear TO have raised IN" hl' iH
anticpaons Of their hcrpe, only 10 dash ta"m 10 inc
ground II stated that these elaborate httlne- are
uuou a scale only suitable for cOmm0iiou, doll
bGusc \ picture is given Of an Ofccr seated lu l'
,irroscODlc bath. with vessel Of water by hi sd"
the contents Of which have 70 be distributed over ms
ncrson with a sponge" the bath not being large
rnouch 10 hold the officer, the water and the sponge
at the same time.