Kansas City daily journal., 1896-11-27
Naval Progress.
. New York Tribune

From the New York Tribune.
A curious Indication of the growth of the
United States as a naval power is furnished
in a report of the British admiralty office,
just published. In the last preceding report
TWO years ago, account was given of the
fleets of Great Britain, France, Russia,
Germany, Italy and Austria Hungary, but
none of that of the United States, this
country being classed among the minor sea
powers, of which serious notice need rot
be taken. In the present report the United
States navy is included, while that of Aus
tna-Hungary IS omitted. Evidently
Columbia the Gem OF the Ocean," Is now
becoming a sea power that must be rech-
oned with, even by the professional war
riors of the Old World
This report shows that Great Britain has
10 battleships and Z more building, the
largest of the latter being of 1900 tons
France has % and 6 more building. the
largest being of about 12,000 tons. Russia
has 10 and is building more, 1854 tons
being the maximum. Germany has u and
is building 3, only one slightly exceeding
1000 tons, Italy has 1S, of them exceed
ing l3,VD tons each, and is building of less
than 1000 tons. The United States has 8
and is building s more; of the former are
of 10,2SS tons and of less than 700 TONS
of the latter are of II, ,525 tons and l is of
i, 40 tons. Remembering that some of the
Russian ships are Old and of doubtful
strength, that the German ships are small
and many of them almost antiquated, and
that the big Italians are notoriously un-
seaworthy, it seems safe to reckon that in
this class of vessels the American navy is
surpassed only by Great Britain and
France, and by them only in numbers. Ship
for ship, our Oregon, Indiana and Iowa
are, and all of those building will be, the
equals of any afioat under any flag.
OF cruisers, Great Britain has a formid-
tod nv nd
% more building, and IS unprotected.
France has armored and l building, %
protected and IA building, and 20 unpro-
tected She is building of the largest ar
mored cruisers in the world-one of D. 300
and 1 of 14,O00 tonS-and protected cruis-
ers. Germany has no armored cruiser, but
is building one. She has and is building
6 protected cruisers and has - unprotected
Italy has l and is BUILDING 5 armored cruis-
ers, aud has 10 protected and is building l
more, and has l unprotected. The United
States has armored cruisers, 13 protected
and 10 unprotected, and, is building none.
This branch of our navy, compares well,
therefore, with that of any power except
Great Britain and France for some of our
protected cruisers are quite equal to most
of the armored cruisers in the Russian
fleet.
Great Britain has only 10 coast defense
vessels, all antiquated, the newest dating
JAIN 10 1870. france mas II, winch are
probably stronger than Great Britain's 10.
Russia has u and is building more. Ger
many has II. Italy has none. The United
States has 10, all apmored. In this respect,
therefore, our fleet is probably the strong
est in the world, though it suffers the dis
advantage of having a vastly longer stretch
of coast to protect than has any other In
respect to torpedo vessels of all kinds we
are lamentably behind all the rest. Great
Britain has 30 torpedo vessels, 101 torpedo
boats and AZ torpedo boat destroyers, and
4S more of the last building. France has 13
torpedo vessels and 8 building and 2l1 tor
pedo boats and 9 building. Russia has 16
torpedo vessels and building. 152 torpedo
boats and 20 building, and torpedo boat
destroyers building. Germany has tor
pedo vessels and 105 torpedo boats and 9 or
more of the latter building. Italy has Is
torpedo vessels and 8 building, 1856 torpedo
boats and l building, and l torpedo boat
destroyer building. The United States has
, torpedo vessels and torpedo boats, and
10 of the latter building
The sum of the matter Is, then, that this
country ranks third in battleships. third
or at any rate, tied with Russia for third
place-in cruisers, first in coast defense
craft and sixth or lower in torpedo craft
That is certainly a gratifying showing for
a nation that a dozen years ago had only
the beginning of a fleet, and that not until
this year has been deemed worthy of a
place in a British admiralty report; and to
paraphrase the words of the first great
captain of our navy, We have scarcely vet
begun to build