The sun., 1894-05-06
England Needs Naval Supremacy.


A quarter OF a century ago the British
Ministry was bent on eflecting an economy
In naval expenditures; to-day a new and
costly naval programme has been resolved
upon. at the end OF one which has lasted In
it's installments for five years. and has been
exceedingly expensive. The point to note
Is that on both occasions Mr.. GLADSTONE
was in power. and that the policy OF re-
trenchment In the former case was as
heartily applauded as that OF liberal expen-
ditures Is in the latter. The fair infer
ence is that England has made up her mind
that her naval supremacy Is the foundation
not only OF her commercial Importance. but
OF her safety as q nation. and that. what
ever it may cost. she is prepared to
maintain 1t.
1t is rather curious that from an Ameri-
can naval ofIlcor has come the most telling
Of recent demonstrations OF the value OF
the British navy. The volumes OF Capt. A.
7. MAHAN on The Influence Of Sea Power
Upon History" have furnished it. and have
brought from Admiral CoLoMB. in the pages
OF the North American Reriep. this tribute:
I'VE cannot lose sight of the weight capt MAHASs
books have had with the British public II Is alone
tne pehuy OF sNyle tneh tneh
logical sequence. and their depth of thought which
have given them power. Great weight belongs to all
these slemsnts but the greatest weight OF all 10 the
sense Of confirmation from an Independent and GER
tainlv impartial authority. of all that tue possibly
prsJudised English naval ofhcer has been for twenty
years struggling to impress on his countrymen."
Tho truth Is that Englishmen OF the pres
eIt day have begun to see clearly that the
reason why tho command OF the sea Is nee
.-L
Islands are not self-sustaining. Taking the
matter of food supply alone. Admiral
CoLoMB shows that half the bulk OF the an
nual imports into the islands. between H.
100000 and 100000 tons. Is food. being q
supply OF nine pounds day for each
family in the kingdom. Again. the amount
Of British property at all times on the sea
mounts into hundreds Of millions OF
dollars: and 1t Is said that the inflow and
outflow OF British foreign trade reaches
So. 800. 900. 900 to si0O0. 100000 in value. and
from 45o.OOo.OOO to 500. .oOO. 900 tons In bulk.
while about half the worlds ship tonnage
carries the British flag.
Such considerations had gathered suf-
ficient weight. it appears. even ten years
ago. to lead to the NoRTHBRooK naval pro-
gramme OF 1884. which was worthily sue
ceeded by the HAMILTON programme OF 1889.
In the latter. which Is now to be supple
mented by still another. remarkable
feature was it's clear apprehension OF the
three classes OF ships which the country
needed. These were the battle ship. as the
chief representative OF effective defence:
the cruiser. as the protector OF commerce
against raids: and finally. what Admiral
CoLoMB awk wardly calls A" the anti-torpedo-
boat-vessel." which is specially designed
to be 1.-THE inshore-watcher Of the enemy's
war ports"
In the recent discussion of England's
needs 1t has been customary to compare
her ships OF certain types with those OF
Russia and OF France combined. This Is on
the supposltlon that the combination OF
these two powers would be the utmost that
England need prepare against. especially
as 1t leaves out OF the account the possible
help which she might In such a case have
from Germany or Italy or both. The diff
Guilty. however. is In settling upon proper
basis OF comparison. since a mere numeri-
cal array is OF small value without taking
into account the size and efficiency OF the
vessels. For example. 1t makes q good
deal Of difference whether In our own
navy We should mean by battle ships
vessels like the Iowa and Indiana
or like the Maine and Texas; and
whether by cruisers We mean the Columbia
and Olympia or the Atlanta and Detroit.
Still greater. therefore. must he the real
disparity when modern armOrclads are in
cluded with those built many years ago
in the same numerical comparison. How
ever, Lord HOOP OF Avalon found that
France aud Russia combined possessed.
built and building. at the close of last year.
40 battle ships against Eugland's As. and 23
eoast-defence vessels against her II. with
90 cruisers against England's lSO. and 22
tOrpedo-boat destroyers against her As. A
more recent estimate by Mr.. LAIRD CLOVES
makes the tables. As French and Russian
battle ships TO IS British. 81 coast defenders
TO 100 British. and 101 cruisers 10 1872
British. As has been already said. TO make
such a comparison thoroughly instructive.
We should compare ship and ship.
Admiral CoLOMB. however. makes the
special point that England must be pre-
pared for maintaining her hold In the
Mediterranean against the combined force
of France and Russia. Apart from her
trade with France. Great Britain has : dl-
rect trade with Mediterranean ports Of
$40. 100000. and sends 5000 more
through the sueE Canal. Over oRe-sixth Of