The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-09-08
The British Navy of To-day.
THE ADVANCE THAT HAS BEEN MADE l
If DI RING THE LAST SIX YEARS.

THE ADVANCE THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN
If DURING THE LAST SIX YEARS.
While the discussion OF the naval prog
Iess of the United States was recently
going ON il Congress, the British public
were engaged i'll similar review OF the
growth OF their fleet during the last half
dozen wears. says the New York sun. The
occasion was the appearance of Lord SAILS
bury 5 manifesto in which he dwelt upon
the advance that had been made in the
ships and guns OF the royal navy since he
took the office in 1856: and the result WAS
~ show clearly What British sea strength
is at the present time.
in 1856 Great Britain had y battle ships
and a1mored cruisers carrying 45}7 muzzle-
Loading and al breecl- loading GUNS, and
722 small. quick-re and machine guns.
There We're then no large Vuick-tire guns
whatever. The maximum speed of the
battle ships was Ii 81 knots, and their
total displacement 524. so tons. In that
list We're 10 vessels which had never been
10 sea and We're IN various processes OF con
>Jruction. some of them only Just laid
down. These 10 vessels comprised 49,
800 tons, SO that the available displace-
lilt1ll III lSNtl WIS 1ttlutta w llldl ulOuul.
We lind day, with three of the iron
clads withdrawn, a remaining total of 20
battle ships. aImored cruisers and coast
defence vessels, with an aggregated isplace-
ment of 643, 100 tons. The maximum
speed OF these vessels had risen to Is knots.
All the guns that have been added are
breech-loading, and against III of these
ia 1856 there are :}97 to-day The machine
and small quick-tire guns have been more
than doubled. So that in place Of 722 in
1886 there are now 1913. The heavy quick
ire pieces of /. 7-inch and 6-inch calibres
which did not exist at all in 1856. now
number 1872.
Ii we examine in detail this list Of
new almorcladS we find. to begin with the
eight great armorclads Hood. Empress OF
India, Families, Repulse. Resolution,
revenge, Royal oak and Royal Sovereign.
This last named is finished, the first four
are completing and the other three are
building. Each Of these enormous vessels
Ot IL, 10 tons carries four - IL inch
Guns, 10 6-inch quick fire guns and 80
machine guns, They will have speed of
III least II II knots the Royal Sovereign
he pioneer of the class showing Is knots
Still, while these vessels surpass our own
Indiana, Massachusetts and Oregon in
-l'NtQ. tllC lLllcI hlt )tlltNtNl 10 Dt superior
IN aggregate battery power. Beside these
eight vessels Lord Salisbury $ adminstra-
ion has added the Bartleur and Centurion
mmorclads Of 10, 800 tons each carrying
four 10-inch guns, ten 4.7-inch quick-tire
guns and "A pieces in the secondary bat
tery. Their speed will be Is knots.
The - ships not completed in 1856 are now
finished, and. in fact, all of the % vessels
ri the present navy are either in readiness
or will have been launched by the end of
this year. the net difference in increment
being 1874, POO tons displacement for the six
years.
Turning to unarmored vessels, we find
that in 1886 these numbered lis, having
an aggregate of 21S, 974 tons displacement.
They We're armed with 44S muzzleloadng
aud 80 breech-loading guns, beside PA in
the secondary batteries. The highest
speed was Is 30 knots.
In 1892 we find total of PIP unarmored
cruisers, having an aggregate of 454, 292
tons displacement. The muzzle- loading
guns have fallen off to 16S, but the breech-
leaders have increased to 7S9, while 470
heavy quick lire guns have been added.
The secondary batteries have grown to
,746 pieces, and the maximum speed has
increased to 20 l 2 knots. The balance in
ships of 235, 31S tons, and 431 guns The
displacement has more than doubled in
this period, and the battery power has had
corresponding growth, while the advance
in speed is also notable.
OF course, there have been minor details
of progress Thus the old Nordenfeldt
machine guns have given way to the s.
FOUNDER and 3-pounder Hotchkiss. Some
Of the old ironclads have been re- engined
remasted, retitted and partly rearmed. TIT
introduction Of quick fire heavy guns is al
unquestionable gain
These facts indicate that while the pess
mists have good deal to say about thu
decadence of the British navy, as compar
ed with that Of other nations, it has beef
growing very fast in absolute, whateve
may be the facts as to relative, strength