The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-04
THE NAVr or FRANCO.
The Criticisms Passed Upon II By VI. Lock.
roy and It- Real Cond ton

The Criticisms Passed Upon II Ey VI. Lock.
| roy and Its Real Cond tlru.
| wAsutNGToN Feb. at Is n ltt's curiou.
that England and France have each had sem
sation this winter on the efficiency Of thcirre-
spective navcs. and that the critical or alarm.
| ist element OF each country has been In
| clined to minimize the estimate Of its own
strength, and to put at tho extreme valuation
the possibilities OF Its neghbor.
| In neither case can the undertaking he de-
| scribed as lacking in patriotism, since the OBJ
| iect OF those who raise the alarm is to secure
larger opriations for the navy and thus
| to Increase the country's powers OF attack and
| defence. The cutlery was raised first in Great
| Britain the main point being that France and
| Russia combined would be stronger IL ships
| than England. The Governme mt resented this
| statement. but in Wow Of the great amount Of
ship building authorized for the next few
| years in those countries. yielded TO the urgent
| demands OF the Admiralty. and prepared q
| tremendous programme OF construction, for
| which the estimates for the next fiscal year
are said to be fully s35.OOO0o0. Meanwhile
| France had been aroused to the condition OF
| her navy. and the Chamber OF Deputies had
| appointed q Commission to inquire into It
| The speech OF NJ. Edouard Lockroy. the other
| day. was tho outcome OF the inquiry OF this
| Commission OF which he was member.
The parallel already noted extends to e.
| Minister Lockroy's assertions relating TO the
| defen celessness OF France and to defects In
| the planning or the construction OF vessels,
both VI which points had been ID ade by British
that the French lronclads are faulty: that there
liz disorder throughout the naval administra-
could land $1,000 men upon it in an hour.
time that Rouen and Boulogne are PRACTICE
mercy Of any feet that chose t to bombard
them, ana SO on, , 49,
instead OF feeling a pardonable pleasure in this
revelation OF tho supposed deficiencies Of their
neghboy, seem inclined ratherlto break the
out that one French shipbuilding com pany
and torpedo boats has people in the French
Chamber looking out for its interests. and
Srgng the ., need 81 e9nstrIeting mere Of tho
pany makes a specialty In stead OF laying out
money on heavy battle ships built in Govern.
ago that England's navy was twice as large a,
that Of France. and that the disparity could
issss 70 buili BritisI than French war ships.
The BrSnnus. of II 900 tons; for example, cost
british ship Centurion, OF lO.5OO tons ONLY
TSO,Oo0; the ChRrnier. too. of different
tho british vessel Astrea only 81. los. 900 iut
in all this some Of the English critics see a.
in armor-ciads. a desire to help the private
shipyaId against the Government yards. They
tho big French battle ships: but they also
have a source OF anxiety Inspiring their own
at Whitehall, and also the Govcrnment and
d Sn, meat should be Induced to relax Their
these exposures OF French shortcominrS
1t may fairly be said that some of our own
nstruetioS as being in The Forefront Sf mod mod
ern progress. and this applies to the work go
Ing on at the live great Goyernment arssna!'
struction at the La seyne, bordeaux, Hayr.
\nyAiTA FHz
The Tapiy. also. Of Admtrai Le d'Vf Minister
Of Marine, TO NJ; Lockroys criticisms Indicates
IL" latter hssts Lock nST :" ns"rr"n had
been tEat while France had, since TIE war y
than had Austria. Germany. aud itay on
theirs, she had only Increased her rayal
creased hers skiold ,Sad even Austria hers
ttwo-thirds, Hut, in such statistics, which, by
far different as to tho expenditures OF ths
nations composing the Triple Alliance, much
example. In 1871 Ind the mere nucleus Oh
navy so that she could easily increase II SIX,
told at much smaller expenditure than
FRANCE would Incur IN increasing hers by
French naval ARTILLERY was inieri6r. the Mia.
lister OF Marine produced English authority
TOrpedo boats had Shown S ' detects sin In FranSs
as elsewhere, yet they were stu useful ihs
a as TO re9@ n GSya 6aa
tional consequence, at least in the first ~
stance, anc while defects have been shown
the appointment OF commission Of inNestgA.
ton with such member as NJ l.ockTcy on
seems e. indicate that reform will 10 secured
especially since the Government has rerog-
nized its necessity. In fact some OF IA" iauIs
IN the departments concerned with prov~l9ls
anu supplies. and some OF tho delays ln hI4i,
ing ships are such as have teen experienced
from time to time In the English ser'ic" a,d
Ioekrpy has made strong points against the
French naval administration.
The point in regard to coast defences con
Germs the War Department rather than tEs
navy, yet the latter has rather more to 10 with
the subject OF coast protection than un Ter our
putes all Of NJ fdsfrSy 's assc Sq Ions aud .a
that orsica alone has 2u.UNO squlpIei men 'or
its pI9teetion, and the entire French coast
The exMinIster OF Commerce. however
MAS beyond question right in saving - 70
Chamber OF Deputies. that. fleet against Heet
the British could crush the French, and be has
a certain ground for asserting that our only
chance Is 10 cut OF English commerce and
paralyZs her import and export trad" blt
me value OF last cruisers IN that coIntrI. 70
not needed. and NJ IocEroy may fairly 70
criticised a. emphasizing too much s.Eg.s
order 10 give prominence TO one. though that
Is point OF unquSstioned impoTtanre. lls
more cruisers that France builds for Gttark'nE
British commerce. the more will England cou-
struct for protesting II.
new tTench naval construction eNc""';s a
Unuoh II can hardly hs charged that insui'-
slent alsRIloh - given 70 strengtnenlrR 'HE
based on the yigor and ltboraltY ot French
preparation. combined with that ~ E4-r n
may 10 to increase the attention ~ the French
70 last cruisers, IN which department o. Goa
tiyelT a little behind 6L iockfoY has shown
what appears to be excessive expenditures r
not great olundsIs. and he has sPparenty
tortsd that France Is not the only country thst
has hes nsdS mistakes or suffered iEom nAlAs-