The times., 1897-06-28
THE GREAT NAVAL SHOW.
England First on the Sea, But Has
Lessons to Learn.

L
| London, June 27.-Mr. w. Laird Cloves,
the Famous naval expert, said, after ia
| specting the immense array of British and
| iefeign svarahips at Spithead.
| III an Austrian, German Or Frenchrnan
| should go home from spithead, he would
tell his countrynen:
soioHS as Great Britain remains in her
! present temper you need barbor no dreams
OF naval power. Today she is even more
supreme onthe broad seas than in the old
times on The narrow seas, over which she
Then claimed domain You cannot either
aEgly or In conjunction with others, hope
TO rival her. Keep up your navy, if you
Will; 1T may avail you against others, hut
not against her. For you it is playtl1ing
and luxury: for her 1t is necessity, and
she Knows it You may be than kful il you
have her as friend and il she never uses
her magnificent weapon save in the cause
OF right and justice
Yet, although these are one mans com
clusioDs, 1t would be wrong To suggest
that the British have nothing 10 learn
from the foreign nayies or foreign ships
now here. The Russians, Americans, Aus
TRANS Dutch, and French have sent TO
spithead their newest and, in some cases,
their best, and il is hoped that the British
officers and Constructors will utilize these
opportunities for visiting and studying
The Rossia, Brooklyn, Wien, Evertsen aud
fotDuau- The Rossia is noteworthy for
three screws, and is fitted to burn petro-
leUm or coal at option. Great Britain
possesses no large ship with either Of these
characteristics. The Brooklyn is capable
OF suggesting many things connected with
the adaptation of electricity To the work
of the ship.
We are at least five or six years
behind Some other Countries, whereas
Aineraa certainly leads the van. Some
or The Brooldyn's electrical devices are,
perhaps, little too delicate and too
conpi Gated or unnecessary, but the gear
Tor hoisting projectlles and ammunftiOn
TO the guns, and the machinery for work
Ing the turTets are so admirable that 1
recall with a blush of shame the fact
that only one OF the British Inen-of-war
Is fitted with electrical siot-hoists We,
unlike most Countries, seem to be of the |
opinion that electricity is still turbu- |
lent, uncomfortable power and must not |
be harnessed, save experiuentalIy and |
with trembling. /
The Wien strikes me as model OF |
what small, modern battleship should /
be We buld no small hattIeships now
adays, and We had none at Spithead. |
We prefer huge battIeships, Costing e.
100000 apiece l believe that, although
there may still be a part for the big
battieship to play, there is and ever VIII
be part, also, for the small one
Another excellent type OF the small
modern battleship is the Evertsen- She
has only a limited coal capacity. but she
s employed only near the naval base
She would be a tough little opponent OF
many an existing ship that is twice her
'izc and cost three times as much.
The French arInored cruiser Pothuau
presents many points worthy OF attentio
She is by far the ugliest ship at Spit |
lead. but she is far indeed from being
.he least formidable
"IerInany sends neither her newest |
lCr her best, the old batsleship KONG |
Wilhelm, which. tweut y-nine years ago,
was built at Black wall. on the T ThaIues
let she is far from being contemptible |
because she is old Indeed, there is no
orelgn ship here that reads more instruc- |
i've lessons. The Germans have re-
,ngined ana rearmed her, and have shown
runlphantly the way We ought to deal |
With old irOnciads W lich are the Kouig
contemporaries.
Being anxious to discover how far one
II the plainest lessons of recent naval war
are has been utilized by foreign naval |
constructors. inquired on the BROOKLYN !
oncerning the wooden decks, which, to |
ny surprise, saw there. 1t seems that.
Though the decks are of wood, they are
erfectiy non-inflammable, owing to the
lectncal treatment to which the planks
ave been submitted. So far, so good. !.
he Americans have tackled the great
uestion OF fire on board ship in action
nd absolutely solved it, for all the wood
the Brooklyn is GTeprOof, while wood | [
! our ships continues combustibIe. But
am far from advocating that " treat |
Tood as the Americans do. We will do |
etter III we seek a substitute, for the .
GOD In the Brooklyn has been SO altered
character and has become so spongy
nd soft that. / venture the prophecy. the
ecks would not stand the wear and teal
half an ordinary commission !