San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-09-04
SHIPS AND sHIPPINE.

SIX are lOSU every Year,
Frigates, in the modern style,
We're first 'b2ilt in l649.
The Austrian navy has l29Ships,
All guns and $40 men.
Italy has 80 ships OF wag, NJ
heavy guns and 1924 men.
The modern French navy dates
from the reign of Napoleon III.
The heaviest anchors weigh
about II hundred weight.
Little Greece has a mercantile
marine employing 265SOO sailors
The annual loss of shipping and
cargo is estimated at Gl9,S20,OOO.
At the present day about 96 per
cent of all vessels built are OF steel.
Naval salutes to the flag are as
old as the time of Alfred the Great.
The screw propeller was intro
duced into the British navy in
1910.
The first English ships were the
galleys built by Alfred the Great.
The greatest naval victory of
modern times was won at Trafai-
gar in 1862
Richard /. of England drew up
the first known code of maritime
laws.
The greatest naval action in
Greek history was that at Salamis,
B. C. $50.
The Austrian LlOyd's company
was formed in 1888 to trade with
the Levant.
Sea signals were invented and
put in operation during the reign
of James ii.
Russia has fOrty-fOur war ships,
with 1864 men as sailors and
marines.
The Spanish Armada consisted
of 132 ships, $3.50 cannon, S,766
sailors, 2,OSS galley slaves, 2l,S55
soldiers, 1856 volunteers and $50
monks.
The navigable river mileage of
Europe, Asia and America is
144,732 miles. The United States
has the greatest river mileage,
1880.
The most notable sea fight in
Roman history was the defeat of
the Cloths by the Emperor Claudus
III. Over 1000 Gothic galleys were
sunk.
Some of the steamship compan-
les employ more men than are en-
listed in the second class navies
of Europe. The Cunard Line en-
plOys 10000.
During 1892 there were thirty
two accidents to steam vessels in
this country involving the loss of
life, and 200 persons were killed in
these mishaps.
In 1888 1890 merchant ships en-
tered the Dardenelles, with a tom
mage of l0,460000; of these 100000
tons were British, or about seven
tenths of the whole.
The British navy comprises 81
armored ships. 80 protected or par
TALLY armored vessels, and 2S2 I'M
protected ships, a total Of 1913, which
cost f35,635,OOO.
Turret ships were proposed in
1855; were recommended to the
British Admiralty in 1861. The
Monitor was the first of this class
TO be built.
In 1920 the steam tonnage of the
world was 10000, the sailing tom
mage 5,Sl4,0O0; in 1888 the former
was 100000. the latter l2,640,OOO.
The longest artificial water
course in the world is the Bengal
Canal, 900 miles; the next is the
Erie, 1868. Each cost nearly $780,
100000.
The United States has 242 life
saving stations, lSl on the Allan
tic, forty-eight on the lakes, eigh-
teen on the Pacific, and one at the
Ohio Falls, Louisville, Ky.
The first mention of a naval uni
form occurs in 174S, when an order
was issued by the British admiral
ty requiring a uniform and describ-
ing of what it consisted.
There are 25,S17 miles of canals
in the world, of which 1928 miles
are in Europe, 4,479 in the United
States, $50 in Canada, 2,240 in In
dia, and 5,27O are in China.
Excluding about $4,000 small
craft, the commerce of the world is
carried on by $4,000 vessels, of 90
100000 registered tons, with a car
rying capacity of 100000.