The morning call., 1893-10-25
FIN DE SIECLE NAVlES.

While the world is noting with interest
the astonishing triumDhS OF the Lueanla
and her sister ship of the Cunard line, in
the matter of speed. the Governments OF
the maritime nations, with the exception
Of Germany and the United States, are
ureparing TO surprise naval authorities
with ships of war which even quarter of
a century ago would have seemed in
credible.
England as usual takes the lead. In
1889, it being feared that England's naval
supremacy was in danger, Parliament ap-
propriated e107.000.000 for the construction
OF seventy new warships. OF these fifty
eight have been launched, and before next
spring sixty-one will have been completed.
They will constitute a feet compared TO
which the Spanish Armada was cluster of
cookie shells. But since the vote of 1899
q demand has arisen for larger ships, and
two battle-shps, the Magnificent and the
Majestic, of nearly $1,000 tons displace-
ment each, and two armoTed cruisers OF
1900 tons, the Powerful and the Terrible,
have been ordered and are now under con-
struction. To serve as tenders 10 these
leviathians a torpedo fotilla is being con-
structed, and for some of the vessels
speed of twenty-seven knots is guaranteed.
France lays a little behind. but not
much. Nine vessels were ordered by the
Chamber of 1892, two of which will have
a displacement of 5000 tons, with sea
speed of nineteen knots, and two 9-inch
guns in the main battery. The last Cham
Der appropriated $4,000, coo for thirty-two
new vessels. Three of these are to be
battles ships, with displacement of 1900
tons each and a sea speed Of eighteen
knots they are TO be plated with 17112-inch
armor. As tenders. they will be accom-
panied by flotlla of torpedo-boats. one
of which now near completion is expected
to reach the astonishing speed Of thirty
knots an hour.
Italy, which is in the throes of finan-
cial crisis. is nevertheless building two
new battle-ships of $3.50 tons displace-
ment, which will carry four 10-inch guns.
Her present big ships, the Duilio and the
d'Italia, are practically failures. as also
are The big guns they carry; but King Um-
berto and his Ministry are not discOur
aged they are resolved that, in any meet
ing of the nayies, Italy shall hold its own
with bigger nations. Not to be behind,
Russia is building three battle-ships of
II, 900, 1900 and 14,500 tons displacement
respectively.
The example is being followed by such
minor nations as Mexico. Siam, China,
Japan, Chile. Argentine, Holland. Turkey
and Bulgaria. These powers are not
building as large vessels as those men
toned above; but their new en-Ot-war
are heavily armed and some of them are
swift. 1t is said that the new japanese
commerce-destroyer Yoshimo can steam
twenty-three knots at sea.
If great war should break out, and il
these tremendous fleets should meet in
some ocean where they could engage in
battle like that of Trafalgar. the money
spent in their construction might not be
thrown away-at least by the nation which
won the battle. This is assuming. of course.
that the ships could bear the recoil and
coDcussion of their own guns, which is not
demonstrated. Experiment rather leads
to the belief just now that 9 or 10 inch
gun fired from battery on board ship
would be more dangerous to the ship than
to the enemy. But the French, English,
italian and Russian naval engineers must
have satisfied themselves on this point be-
Passing over this, it must be presumed
that by some new International agreement.
the operation of the new class torpedo
boats would be barred in battle. For,
otherwise, the little French torpedo-bOat,
with displacement of 125 tons and speed
Of thirty knots. might sail round the big
battle-ships and blow them up with
lucky shell while they were maneuveriug
for position.
The construction of monstrous battle
ships at cost of millions is gratifying to
national pride and affords employment to
workmen and sailors. Still it may be ques-
toned whether the United States has not
pursued a sensible course in reconstruct
ing our navy on more modest lines than
are adopted in Europe. The science OF
electricity as applied TO high explosives
has by no means reached a fnality. 1t
would not be pleasant for the heads of
the several admiralties in Europe to dis
cover that their leviathans dared n OF go to
sea for fear of being blown up by some
insignificant foe, whom they could not hit
and could not catch.
THE LIMIT OF ASTRONOMY.