The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-02
FLEETS OF GREECE AND TURKEY.
They Are ssestiy OF small Account. but Possess
Some Good ships.

b'"e n"
A recent number Of the Pail Mall Gasette
contains a description OF the warships Of
Greece and Turkey. as we'll rs OF the Mediter-
ranesn fleets OF other ppwers.
The feet Of Greece has FIVE armorclads. Two.
the Basllieos Georgios and Basilissa Olga. date
back TO 1867 aud 1860. and are OF LIZA and
2.o30 tons. with seven and six inches OF armor
respectively and Of twelve and ten knobs. Tho
former carries two s.2.inch guns and six
smaller pieces and tho latter six 8.6-inch and
eight smaller rieccs. But much larger and
better are three sister ships, the Hydra. Psara.
and Spetsai. OF 1885 tons. dating bark only TO
$4,000. with 1871 inches of armor. OF seventeen
knots. and carrying the fine battery OF three
10 .6.irch, five 6.inch, and twenty smaller guns.
or the unarmorcd ships the chief one r. the
Mianlis. of 300 tons. about as heavy as our
Yorktown. OF afteen knots and carrying four
6t- inch and six smaller guns. There are also
available the Sfaktirca. a steel transport carry
ing four guns: the Kanaris. n torpedo depot
ship. three mining vessels. three training ships.
ind twelve old eunboats. one " which. the AL
phios. mounting two guns. Is known to be on
the Cretan coast. The torpedo boats nominal.
ly number over nftv. hut the chisf ones for
service nre sI built al stettln In 1855. OF nine
teen knots nnd carrying four one Founders and
or Turkeys fleet. moro imposing on paper.
TINS account 10 given:
Tue Turkish neet, though more imposing In a..
pearance, IL not much superior in fact. II IL doubt.
ful whether any OF the once splendid squadron Of
fronclads 10 now IN . rtste to 20 TO sea. The engines
Ar dilapidated. the boilers worn out. and there are
no trained Officers and men. Nominaiiy there are
fourteen ironciac = available: with few exceptions
these are of the central battery type. PLACED with
armor o inches to l2 inches thick. and armed for
the most part with old Krupps and Armstrong muz.
tic leaders. one battle ship Ia on the stocks. where
she IL likely to remain It'll the early years of next
century, or the advent OF the Russians; four moro
arc In the most 1eisurcly way being altered ana
brought up TO date. II the Turks can nnd crews.
such ships a. the Mesoodieh might prove awk ward
nuts for the Greeks to crack. The Mesoodieh IL Of
1000 tons. once uron n time steamed twelve knots,
carries l2.inch and ".inrh plating. and IL armed
with twelve l0.inch and three S.inch guns. But no
heet Is of any value which does not occasionally 20
to sea. and the engines of the Turkish iron"lahs'arc
cruisers are about on a par with tho Turkish hattie
ships. a collection OF antiquated. slow. and for the
most part wooden. sbipa. There are three torpedo
Runboats. the Simet. Peiengi-deria. and shahin.
deria. carrying S.inch and d FOUNDER guns. and
steaminR ION papcrj 10 10 20 knots. The torpedo NO.
tllia Ia better than that ~ the Greeks, as II includes
two fairiy new destroyers. stenming 2J and %
knots: six large torpedo boats OF IS or 20 knots.
built In Germany in 1859 and 1870: and nine large
xl-knot boats, besides ten Of small sye. These
boats. being newer and faster than the Greek craft.
are necessarily better.
OF course. these rival fleets will not be suf-
fcred tn contend with each other. Any war
In which they took part would be likely TO in
volve ono or more fleets OF far greater conse-
luence.