The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-17

uittee said positively we are the sixth
in rank although the Secretary OF the
navy In 1853 ranked Us seventh, putting
Holland ahead OF us.
Within the past rwo or three years the
increased interest in naval affairs. due to
our buiIdiag Of more warships. and the
possibilities OF war. has caused more
careful inquiry. and closer atten-
ton has been devoted by the depart
rnent to the condition OK foreign navies.
The Army and Navy Year Book for 1885.
regarded as a standard manual on such az
fairs, makes the following comparison Of
strength IN ironclads. completed or under
construction, the unit Of measurement be-
ing the force In guns. ships and armor
eo,,iyalen. 10 one hrst-class modern bat
tleship Of 1900 tons:
Great Britain ...--....-.-........-....51- .
France ..------ 90
RUSSIA --.-....-..-- 80
Italy -..-..--.-.-.---.-..------.-
United states .lo-o
Germany -.---..--..-.... -.----.-...-...-.-. 30
spain 10
Holland Is placed tenth on the list It will
authority for the claim that the United
States navy is superior to that Of SPAIN
A writer on the subjec. some time ago
entered into a very elaborate explanation
OF the reasons why our navy was superior.
and although we cannot give the text. It
suffices to say he made the claim that
Spain possessed only che 6rst-e!lss battle
ship. the Pelayo craft. blythe way. whoa
weight OF battery FIRE is ONLY twc-thirss
OF that OF the Indiana" Spain then had
seven armored cruisers IN commission or
building land ranks seventh. possessing
less than one-half the armored fighting
power OF this country" Including the kear-
sarge and Kentucky. now building. the
United States possesses six first-class bat
iieships two second-class battleships. two
armored cruisers. six Gouble-turreted
coast defense monitors and one armored
ram.
The New York Commercial Advertiser
made the following comparison recently Of
English and American warships which Is
worth reprinting:
1.-THE heaviest ships in the great British
navy are the eight li.t5)-ton armorclads
of the Royal Sovereign class and the nine
H. s0o-ton armorclads OF the Majestic class.
The former type carry a main battery of
four 67-ton guns with 1.25o pound projec-
tiles and ten Quick-firing 6-inch guns with
100 pound projectiles. This makes the total
weight. OF metal thrown at one discharge
e ,yac oh
four 45-ton guns. hurting $50 pound projec-
tiles. and twelve 6-inch guns. Their total
main battery fire is 4eo0 pounds The three
American battleships. Indiana, Oregon and
Massachusetts. each carry four 13-inch
guns with LOO pound projectiles. eight s.
inch rifles. with 80 pound projectiles. and
four 6-inch guns. Their main battery ire
amounts to $3.50 pounds: nearly half a ton
more metal than Is thrown by the Royal
Sovereign ships and 200 pounds more than
IS thrown by the Majestic type. The new
battleship Iowa. with four 12-inch. eight
s-inch and six finch rifles. hurls at one
discharge $500 pounds of metal. or 1000
pounds more than the Majestic class. The
Kentucky and Kearsarge. with four 13-inch
and four s-inch rifles and fourteen l-inch
quick-flring guns. hurting sixty pound
projectiles, have a main battery fire of
6,lN pounds. In armor protection all these
vessels are admitted to equal the best for
eign ships afioat. Although none of them
exceeds 1850 IN tonnage their speed is am
pie. Their signal preponderance in weight
Of main battery fire makes them more for
mdable as pure fighting machines. ship
for ship. than Enghnds finest armor-
clads."
II would be the rankest folly to deceive
ourselves as TO our naval strength; but
from the authorities cited 1t will be seen
that there is reason to believe We should
not be in very had shape to meet Spain IL
any unfortunate incident should compel us
TO resort TO force.