The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-02-27

nOuern SntpDuldtng a Recent Art In
America-The Strength of Euro
peau Nations.
HHE navy now contains thirty
IL one modern high-class war
i ships in active service, and
g fourteen more soon to be put
In commission, together with thirteen
iron and wooden steam vessels manned
and armed, eleven steel, iron and
wooden steam tugs, thirteen single
turret monitors and twenty-five OBJ
solete steam and sailing vessels used
for various purposes. The number of
sailors in the United States Navy is
about 5000. OF the new war ships in
service, eighteen are steel armored or
protected cruisers, seven are steel
gunboats, four are steel coast defense
monitors and two are steel torpedo
boats. OF the other new war ships
well advanced in building or almost
completed, five are steel battle ships,
three are steel cruisers, three are steel
gunboats, two are steel coast defense
monitors and one is a steel ram.
Three more torpedo boats, authorized
at the last session of Congress, are
soon to be built, raising the total
number of vessels of the new navy in
sight to forty-eight. OF the ships
now finishing, the three sister coast
line battle ships Massachusetts. Indi-
ana and Oregon are nearly ready for
commission, as we'll as the lesser battle
ship Texas, the cruisers Maine and
Olympia, the monitors Puritan and
Monadnock and the ram Katahdin.
The greatest of all, the mammoth sea-
going battle ship Iowa, the cruiser
Brooklyn, and gunboats Nos. 7, and
9, now building at Newport News,
Va, will not be completed for a con-
siderable time. The others have been
delayed chiefly through lack of prompt
deliveries of armor plates.
In point of real effectiveness and
practical naval power our new navy
stands fifth in the list of Nations
Great Britain being first in rank.
France second, Russia third and Italy
fourth, with Germany and Spain be.
hind us. Our great progress since the
beginning of the new navy in 1888
has been achieved not go much in the
mere number of our ships as by their
greater power and efficiency in speed,
excellence of design and construction,
quality of armor, penetration of guns
and variety of types. The first ves-
sells were begun in 1884. They were
the cruisers Chicago, Boston and At
lanta, and the gunboat Dolphin, now
used as dispatch boat. At that time
modern shipbuilding was an unknown
art in America. No modern war ship
had ever been constructed in the Uni
ted States, and no armor plant had
ever been established, nor had any
great naval guns been fabricated. But
plants were rapidly reared, and to-
day we have some of the best ship
yards, armor plants and gun factories
that can be found anywhere. There
is not one of our new war ships that
will mot compare favorably with the
best vessels of her type in other couu-
tries during the same period. One
fact of which Americans can feel especi-
ally proud is that every part of our
new ships and all the materials that
have gone into them are exclusively
of home production and manufacture.
The principal Nations of the world
are computed to have 1921 war ships,
manned by 237, 900 men and mount
ing 1888 guns of heavy calibre. The
average cost of maintenance per man
in the American Navy is $500, in the
British Navy it is $l021.
Great Britain, the foremost naval
power, has in commission and in re-
serve "a battle ships, II coast defense
ships, LOG cruisers, and l1S other ships
not torpedo boats, or total of 275.
In addition she is now building and
completing for sea service 8 battle
ships, 19 cruisers and % other ships.
France has in commission aud re-
serve "a battle ships, coast defense
ships, 43 cruisers and 112 other ships
not torpedo boats, or a total of 1877.
Then she has in process of building
and completion 8 battle ships, 2
coast defence ships, 10 cruisers and
other ships.
Germany has in commission and re-
serve IL battle ships, coast defense
ships, 81 cruisers, and "a other ships,
besides battle ships, 3 cruisers and
one other ship in course of construe-
tion.
Russia has 120 war ships, princi-
pally small ones, and Italy has 93.
Including torpedo boats, the total
number Of effective war ships of all
Glasses owned by the principal naval
powers of Europe is stated to be:
Great Britain, 725; France, 707;
Russia, $50; Italy, 353, and Ger
many, 227.-New York Recorder.
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