St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-20
VARIOUS SHIPS.
The Eastern Naval Force of Britain
Superior to That of France.

The Eastern Naval Force of Britain
Superior to That of France.
it is not surprising to learn that the
British have. far more numerous and
powerful fleet in the waters of Eastern
and Southern Asia than the French.
Important as may be the interests of
the latter in Cochin China, Tonquin and
AMMAN, they are far outw eighed by
British interests in Indian, BurInah and
China, so that at the present time the
naValf0rce Of the latter is much superior
i'll waters not far distant from Siam,
says HE Boston Traveller.
Or the French vessels may be noted,
in the first place, those that have al
ready made their way to Bangkok. OF
these the gunDoatS Latin anu Comete
ale of about AIS tons displacement each,
aud tile lncOiStante of about S1l IouS.
Zach carries TWO o15 inch and one or two
3,9-inch guns, besides machine guns.
Then we have the Lion, Il sister ship of
the Comete. aud the Aiuuette. a Lritie
larger. All these five can easily cross
the bar i'll the Menam river.
A much smaller pair Of paddlewheel
gunboats are the Joaquin and Mouluu.
of IO2 tons each, Carrying about 80 men,
and armed with two 81 5-inch guns, While
there are also live iItLle craft OF the
Arquebuse type, having little less dis
PLACEMENT than Our torpedo boat Cush-
ing. These also are said to carry each
a pair Of 3l5-Iuch rifles.
Mention has been made In the dis
patches Oi the F0rfaIt aS being below
Bangkok, but unable to cross the bar of
the Menam river. She is a large wooden
vessel Of quite a different type from
tiI0-e already spoken of, carrying a
gUUdly number OF j4 -inch guns and a
crew OF 264 men. The flagship of Adj
miral Human is the TrIOuDnaute, an
armUrclad OF slow speed, but carrying a
heavy battery. including some "a inch
guns, and having 3So men. The An
mantle is a very large armed transport
vessel of over 5,400 tons. having 80 men.
1t will be observed that tue French
have taken the precautiOn to assemble
considerable number OF small craft in
that region for river service. These
would all be effective on the Menam,
although their guns are of small CALDER
for much service against earthwOrks If
properly constructed.
The British naval forces are much
stronger, as they Include those both OF
the China and the East India station.
| he former are commanded by V ice
A{tmiral Fremautle, whose flagship Is
the lmperieuse. Darbette armOtclad of
recent construction. having 500 tons
displacement, I0,00U horse power, II
knots speeds, and carrying four 9.2-inch
and six 6-inch guns. In the China fleet
we find the Leander, a steel cruiser of
4390 tons aud nominal speed of II
knots. though she made less on her Trial,
with crew OF 2S3 men, and Curing ten
G-iRch guns, VITA four rapid fires and
fourteen machine guns. She Is about ten
years Old.
Next to be noted is the Severn, of
1850 tons, 5000 horse power, a speed
said to exceed Is knots, land a crew of 276
men. She was launched nearly fifteen
years ago, and carries two eIght-inch
and ten siX-iuch rifles. The Mercury
was in her day regarded as the fastest
cruiser atloat, making 1872 knots. She,
like the Severn, was launched in 1878.
and was costly vessel. She has $3.50
tons displacement and 1860 horse power,
earring 2S3 men and l3 iive-inch rifles.
with four rapid-tire anu seven machine
guns.
The Palias, carrying eight guns and
PIG men, has already been spoken OF i'll