New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-16
FOREIGN NAVAL NOTES.

The officers OF the sacond-class battle-ship Co
loss,is Of the British Navy. stationed In the Med
terranean. have made the unpleasant discovery tha'
the 4 tubes Of three of the four 45-ton guns are
cracked near the muzZles. The report Is that 'such
,nshaps are certain occur to what may be caIiei
the first generation of big breech-oading guns.
Recalling the great number of similar 'misnaps
70 the ll0-ton the 67-ton and 45-ton guns of the
EritIsh Navy in the last two years. the Admiralty
must have turned out good many first generation
guns that have been costly experiments.
THE London Engineer" discussing the naval
policy of both England and France. says: our
policy has been alternately Of reducing every
thing connected with the navy to the lowest Level
Of peace requirements. with bursts OF lavish eH-
penditures when vast interests In some parts
OF the world appeared in peril. Everything we
can lay hands on OF warlke material Bood'
bad and Indifferent. Is bought up. ana when tne
disposed Of for one-quarter OF what they cost
This is not the way to 9e Par n Prom bling the equal
at sea to a combination Of any two Powers we are
not in position to contend successfully win one,
war service should be complete as that "oniertul
system which enables armies to be mobilized IN
to convince us that no nation neglect with
impunity any precaution for nsurng that its armed
forces are prepared at all points.
The French Government has issued orders for the
laying down this month Of the Charlemagne. a new
nrst-cass battie-ship. She is to be OF 1850 tons
displacement, of 1850 horse power, and n speed OF
eighteen knots with estimated total cost OF
s. 10000 Two other vessels of the same class will
be laid down before the close Of spring and VIII
b. named Salnt-Iouis and Henry ". The arma-
ment for each Of these vessels will be four Pinch
breoch- loading rifles mounted in pairs. in revolving
turrets; 5l2-nch rifles six 4inch. sixteen 2-inch
and 2inch rapid-flring guns. and eight machine
guns.
The French Navy is also to have a cruiser
3lS feet long, nineteen knots speed. and 400 tons
displacement. She will be named the Catinot, and
she Is intended for service in distant stations.
will be sheathel with wood and coppered TO avoid
the necessity Of frequent and expensive dockage 10
have her bottom cleaned and painted. The est
mated cost Of the cruiser Is S5O.OO. and she VIII
fourteen 2-inch. and four lia-nch rapid-trnS guns
The ironclad Re Tmberto. OF the italian Navy
has had her official steam trials. making average
81 1873 knots over a l9O-mile course Her armament
consists of four 67-ton rifles. sixteen 4a.-nch ten
pinch and seventeen l2-inch rapd-firng guns
The vessel Is 40 feet long. 7s2. feet beam and
~. feet draught.
Armor- plating has not been discussed much
recently II two years ago. when it was
decided that the Iarveyized and nickel plating were
the most invunerable yet discovered But no
sooner is such a question "settlei" than the ex-
perments are resumed 10 find guns 10 send pro-
jectiles capable Of penetrating the heaviest and
best" VI Russians have now declared that the
problem * solved Of piercing the Harvey and Tres
slider surface hardened armOr by means OF n shell
having wrought-iron cap. and this. II Is said. has
been done without the shell breaking it up.