New-York tribune., 1896-11-23
\tV4T, PROGRESS.


United States as n naval Power is furnished in
a report Of the British Admiralty Office, just
published In :he last preceding report. two
wears 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 clas>cd among
the minor sea Powers Of which serious notice
need not be taken. In the present report III"
United states Navy is included while that OF
Austria Hungary Is omitted. Evidently 'Co-
lumha the Gem of the Ocean is now becoming
n sen Power that must bc cokoned with. even
by the professional warriors of the Old World
This report shows that Great Britain has ~
battle ships and l. more building. the largest
of the latter being of 1890 tons. France has
20. and q more building. the largest being Of
about 12.OOO tons. Russia has 10. and i build
ing more 12674 tons being the maximum
Germany has II. and is building 3, only
slightly exceeding 10000 tons. Italy has IL.
) of them exceeding 1900 tons each. and is
building - of less than 10000 tons The United
States has ). and is building more: OF the for
mer 3 are of 1O1SS tons and OF less than
1000 tons: OF the latter :, are of ll,25 tons and
I is Of 11,41O tons. Remembering that some of
the Russian ships are old and of doubtful
many Of them almost antiquatcd. and that the
big Italians are VIGOROUSLY nnseaworhy. 1t
seems safe 10 reckon that In this class OF vessels
the American Navy is surpassed only by Great
Britain and France and by them only in num-
bcrs. ship for ship. our Oregon. Indiana and
Iowa arc. and all those building will be- the
EQUALS of any anoat under any flag
OF cruisers Great Britain has n formidable
ssfl
building and 10 unprotected. France has q
armorcd and building. % protected and Il
building and 90 unprotected. Russia has . ar
morcd. protected and 3 unprotected She Is
building Of the largest armored cruisers In
the world of 1900 and Of l4,Oo0 tons
and 3 protected cruisers. Germany has no ar
mored cruiser. but is building one. She has
and is building projected cruisers. and has ~
unprotected Italy has | and Is building
armorcd cruisers, and has IL protected and IL
building more. and has unprotected. The
United States has . nrmorcd cruisers. IL pro-
tected and 10 unprotected. and is building none.
This branch Of our Navy compares well. there
fore. with that OF any Power except Great Brit
ain and France, for some OF our protected
cruisers are quite equal TO most Of the arnorcd
cruisers in the Russian feet.
Great Britain has only l. coast-dcfcnce YES
scls. all antiquated. the newest dating back 10
1873 France has "A. which are probably strong
or than Great Britan's II. Russia has l. and
IS building more Germany has II. Italy has
none The United States has 10, all armorcd.
, In this respect. therefore, cur feet Is probably
the strongest in the world. though it suffers tho
disadvantage Of having vastly longer stretch
Of coast TO protect than has any other. In re-
spect OF torpedo vessels OF all kinds we are lam
entably behind all the rest. Great Britain has
81 torpedove 1Ol torpedo-boais and ~ tor
pedo-bOat destroyers. and ~ more Of the last
building. France has 13 torpcdo-vcsscls and 3
building, and 211 tOrpedobOats and . building.
| Russia has 16 torpedovcssels and 1 building.
152 torpcdo-bOats and 20 building and ) torpedo
boat destrOycrs building. Germany has :, tor
pedo- vessels and 1OJ torpcdo-boats, and o or
more of the latter building. Italy has IL tor
pedo vessels and 3 building. 136 torpedo-boas
and 1 building and torpedo-boat destroyer
building. The United States has torpcdo-ves-
sells and 3 torpedo boats. and 10 Of the latter
building.
The sum Of the matter Is. then. that this cOun-
try ranks third in battle-shlps third-Or at any
rate tied with Russia for third place-in cruisers,
first In cOast-defence craft snd sixth or lower
In torpedOcraft. That Is certainly gratifying
| showing for n Nation that dozen years ago
had only the beginning of n fleet. and that not
| until this year has been deemed worthy of n
place in British Admiralty report; and, to para
| phrase the words Of the first grca; captain OF
| our Navy, we have scarcely yet begun to build
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