The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-01-11
The Naval Resources Of the United
States and the British
Empire.

Captain A. Mahan, of the United
States navy, has pointed out in his
celebrated work on the influence of
sea power in history, that prepon-
derance Of naval power has been the
controlling element which has ulti-
mately brought victory to the nation
that possessed it. His conclusions
are largely based upon the European
wars of the time of Nelson, End the
late civil war in America.
In view of recent startling and
ominous developments in the diplo-
matte relations of this country and
Great Britain, 1T will be, we think,
timely and interesting to inquire
into the present status of the navles
of the two countries, and also to in
quire as to what are the battleship-
building resources possessed by each.
1t should be noted that in the SUBJ
Joined tables no account is taken of
ships that possess a speed of less
than II knots per hour, or that are
armed with obsolete smooth bore
guns. Ships that are building, but
within measurable distance of COM
pletion-.such, for instance, as the
Iowa are included in the following
calculations:
FIRST CLASS BATTLEsHIPs OF THE LINE.
Average dis Average Belt Total dis
placement speed. armor. placement
4ships 10. 5ss tons. 1919 KITS. IS in. 4e,s74 tons
20 ships Is 900 1747 Is In. 376, 800
sEcoND-CLAss BATTLEsHIPs.
8 ships. 5,7sa tons. 1877 KITS. gin. 1910 tons
G. r.
THIRD-CLAss BATTELsHIPs.
us.
ships. 44o4 tons. n.s KITS. 7 to 1s in 1910 tons
IL ships. 7,o75 13.45 to IL" 1880
COAST DEFENSE BATTLEsHIPs.
The knot beats armed with smooth bore guns
reckoned as obsolete.
1s ships. 404 tons II KITS to 12 in. So, $50 tons
TOTAL BATTLE-sHIPs OF ALL CLASSES.
q. S.
IL ships, with total displacement of sl,4o4 tons
IS sea-, $50
In estimating the relative strength
of the two navies from the above
table, it must be born in mind that
the basis for comparison should be
the total displacement, rather than
the total number of ships. Displace-
ment Is the capital which the naval
designer has to go upon; and if he
make a judicious distribution of
weights, he will always produce the
more effective fighting machine out
of the bigger ship. If $1,000 ton
and a $4,000 ton ship carry the same
armament, the larger vessel will
carry that armament more steadily;
more speedily, with greater COM
mand, and, owing to the wider sepa-
ration of the individual gun stations,
with less exposure to disablement of
guns and crew. Estimated on this
basis, Great Britain possesses a
superiority of fighting power in first
class shlps-of- the line of to l. In
battleships Of all classes the superb
ority is u to l.
FIRsT-cLAss ARMoRED AND PROTECTED
CRUISERS.
(Of 20 knots speed and upward)
Average dis Average Total dis
Total No. placement speed placement
U. s. ships 7,7oo tong 2l'9 knots IS, 500 tons
G. r. o % 1888 210 T" 49, 100 g
FIRsT-cLAss ARMoRED AND PROTECTED
CRUISERS.
(Of19% kuots and under.)
q. r. 60 ships 1881 tons 170 knots $4,000 tons
SECOND AND THIRD CLASS PROTECTED CRUISERS
u. s.. "A ships s.2Ss tons 1928 knots 4s,o2s tons
GRO a,s2s = 1924 2seoO5 g
LOOKOUT CRUISERS.
U. s.. ships l5l9 tons 1873 knots 1888 tons
CIR. 10 50 1907 :" 17'0o 1920 "
ouxBoArs
rs ships lco5 tons 1920 1910 knots & ,ssS tons
TOTAL CRUISERS OF ALL GLASSES
Y 81 ships with total displacement 80 ss 81 tons
Estimated, as before, on the basis
of displacement, this table shows a
prepondeiance for Great Britain in
cruisers of j to l.
OF merchant steamers which are
built to meet the naval requirements
for conversion into cruisers, the
United States have A and Great
Britain &c.
TORPEDO BOAT DEsTRoYERs BUILT AND BUILDING.
Number Displacement Speed.
U. S..
g. R. SO $50 tons 20 knots.
TORPEDO BOATS.
U. s.. ..................s ......... 10
u. R......... -----...-...-.....-. ....'..... ioo
By displacement, the preponder-
ance in torpedo boats is 40 to l..