New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-19
NAVAL FORCES COMPARED.
AVAILABLE SHIPS IN THE FLEET OF THE
UNITED STATES
WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET IN CASE OF
WAR WITH ENGLAND-BATTIE-s SHIPS AND
CRUISERS ON BOTH SIDES.

CRUISERS ON BOTH SIDES
Washington Dec 1s-The possibilities presented In
the Presidents message of yesterday naturally turn
attention to the condition OF the United States Navy
and to a comparison OF the American naVai iorce
with that OF Great Britain. That the United states
has tremendous advantages In It's geographical stu
alton, in its Independence OF the outside worid IN
the matter OF internal food supply and all the ma
terla necessary for carrying on war with ano'her
great nation and in the strength OF Its very weak
ness In the character and number OF Its merchant
marine as compared with the immense loss when
would be entaled Great Britain through interier-
with her vast commerce. does not nearly COM
pensate this country for the smalness OF Its avail
able fleet of vessels as against the powerful
squadrons which the English could muster at snort
notice. Naval officers. although many of them do
not conceal their feeling that war with Great
Britain would net be unwelcome. fully recognize this
disparity, and their acknowledgment OF the weak
of the United States in this respect Is borne out
by the naval lists Of both countries.
A general understanding OF the comparative
strength OF the British and American navies may
be reached by any layman through perusal OF the
facts and figures shown below That the United
States Is lamentably weak in batteships-the great
engines of that have been called hoatng fort-
rcsses-cannot be denied. England has fully fifty
battle-shps and against these we have but one IN
commission, the Indiana However, 10 this sole rep
resentatve of the most powerful form Of fighting
Amphitrite and Mantonomoh and the coast-defence
vessel Monterey, the last-named now In Californian
The OREGON and the Massachusetts. sisters of the
Indiana be made ready for service in three
months as they lack only their armor. while the
Iowa. larger and more formidable. cannot be placed
In service under a year and half. All the Englsh
baJtleshps. however could not be sent 10 fight the
vessels of. the United States and attack American
cities, for the interests Of England are so great
and developed that she must perforce look well
to the protection Of her territory territories
which she does not want other nations to obtain
consideration OF the present situation with regard
20 Turkey and also In connection with China and
Corea vii. show the meaning Of this statement.
STRONGER IN ARMORED CRUISERS.
In armored cru!sers-vessels OF particular adj
vantage in destroying commerce protecting out
lying possessions-Great Britain is not so strong
the United States. She has OF this character of
ship the Blake (Which participated in the Column
ban naval ceremonies at Hampton Roads and
New-York) and the Benheim. while the similar
American vessels are the New-York and the Brook
Ign. Competent critics say. however .hat the New
York is superior to either the Bake or the Blen-
helm. and the Brooklyn is said to be superior TO
the New-York
Next in forrnidab.Hty England has seven belted
cruisers of the Australia class. They slightly
smaller and have less horse power than the Maine.
which is also superior to them In battery, as Is
the Texas. The Texas. while officially denomi-
mated a 5, )nd-cass battle-shlp. may be placed In
this comparison.
In war with Great Britain the great advan-
tage which the United States Government pos
sesses IN having such vessels the Columbia and
the Minneapos-known as hrst-class cruisers
cannO, he overestimated. They commerce de-
stroyers pure and simple and have beer not i'm
properly designated the pirates. Great Britain's
drst-class cruisers are OF this type and are the
same size the Columbia and the Minneapolis, hut
have horsepower OF 1900 only as compared with
the 2i0O horsepower OF the American terrors OF
merchant vessels.
The additional horsepower gives "the pirates
an excess OF two knots hour in speed over
their British counterparts. which also carry less
coal and for that reason and the others given
they would not be so serviceable IN protecting
British commerce the Columbia and the NJ nne-
apolis would be in destroying it, although superior
in battery England has nine OF these ships The
racont sneed trial OF the Columbia from South
anoton to New-Y York shows of what these two
vessels are capable and il is maintained that they
can ovortake the Campan!a and Lucania-the fast
est ships OF the English merchant marlne-if the
race should beg.n within a sighting distance HOW
favoraby the vessels Of the character OF the Min
naanols and the Columbia are viewed by impair
tal critics abroad may be understood from a letter
written by n captain OF the French navy, published
in recent number OF La Marine Franchise,
some of the features OF which are quite pertinent
he
A.ct with Great Britain over the Venezuelan az
fair and OF preparation for struggle with ner
\ FRENCH CRITICS VIEWS.
After directing attention the general INSULT
cheney and inefHciency of the French fleet as
a whole. he says:
"Haying thus provided for the protection OF our
and maritime ports aganst an ataGn 81 ', f
A vigorous offence. and here is where our cruisers
ne destruction OF the enemy's commerce., the ac-
complishment of which will innct deadly blow
al her adversares the terror which she spread
and from the effect OF which the enemys commerce
| was ruined furnished an example which should
NOT be forgotten. However much the conditions
| governing commerce destroying may have changed:
we should be none the less prepared 10 practlse II
| to the extent OF DISCRIMINATING the commerce Ok
| his submarine cables, thus running his commerce.
his business and his source of supply; in one word
we must have very different cruisers from The lame
| ducks which now have and which are almost
so"STh e United States have the Columbia and the
| Minneapolis model cruisers, although to-day they
naTtm.nt so insensibe to progress that it will not
even copy the best ships OF foreign powers, en-
sIrners have found to be desirable? We should GER
any have large number h of such ,s cruisers bS or
are indispensable. Why. do we hesitate when the
| models are in existehce'
| GREAT BRITAIN'S BATTLE-SHIPS
To proceed to a detailed comparison the Indiana
| is about the size or the Admlrdl CLASS OF biItsh
battle-ships In which, besides its namesake. there
are the Arson. Benbow. Camperdown and Rodney,
| and 70 these the Nile and the Trafalgar may be
added. All these are larger and faster than the
| Indiana but she is superior in battery and in
armor and could probably vanqulsh any one of
them Great Britain has also number Of first
class" battleships constructed last year or which
| the Centurion and Barheur with 1880 tons dis
| placement and l3C00 horsepower are samples. But
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