The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-05
OTHER WAR SHIPS.

Turkey has nine ea-going coast de-
fense ironclads, the most modern, the
Idjilalieh having been built at Trieste
in 1870. There are also three harbor de-
fense ironcladS in the Sultan's fleet the
Hisber, the eth-el-1slam and the
Memdooyeh. These have an average
tonnage of about $50 each. Turkey is
building at Constantinople four mod
ern cruisers. the Hudaven Dighair, the
Selimieh, the Feiz-I- Bahri and the
Shadieh. The first two are sister ships
of 1850 tons displacement. She has one
cruiser of the unprotected type, the Hell
betnuma built in 1890. One of her new
est vessels, a composite sloop, is the
Lutti tiHamayoun. She has seven gun
vessels suitable chiefly for police duties
/ ntme of peace. the heaviest of 800
tons displacements. She has four tor
pedo gun vessels and two torpedo de-
stroyers. The fleet also includes TWEEN
ty-three torpedo boats, varying in dis
placement from AZ to $50 tons, and in
speed from 10 to % knots. The oldest
of these was built in 1856 and the new
est in 1892. Besides, there are two sub
marine boats, the Abdul Hamid and
Abdul l-Medjid, constructed in 1886.
The nominal strength of the person.
mel of the Turkish navy is six vicead-
mirals, II rear admirals, 20S captains,
2S9 commanders, 22S lieutenants, 1877 en-
signs, 80, 600 sailors and about 5000 mar
ines.
The Grecian navy comprises 103 YES
sells of all classes, or about half as many
as are under the command of the sui
tan. The Grecian vessels are of later
design than those of Turkey. and while
smaller and less numerous, King
Georges fleet Is 50 much superior TO the
sultan's that the ships would make a
good showing on the seas. Greek Of
ticers and sailors are of good physique
and are constantly kept under strict
discipline. This cannot be said of the
sultan's naval force. The Greeks han
die their vessels much more efficiently
than the Turks. and even with con-
siderable odds against them in the way
of armor and guns they would, through
skill and manoeuvreng be a match for
the sultanS tars.
A prominent naval officer in discus
sing the possibility of war between
Turkey and Greece, has said that a
Greek captain in command of a vessel
of about 1000 tons would overcome a
Turkish ship of 5000 tons, even allow
ing the Sultan's vessel heavier guns
and thicker armor. The conditions, he
said, would be somewhat similar to
those which prevailed in the war be-
tween China and Japan
The most powerful Grecan ships are
the Psara. built in 1890; the Spetsai,
built in 1889, and the Hydra, built in
1889. They are in good condition and
are now in commission. They are of
steel, carry one hooded barbette and
three military masts. Each displaces
4SS5 tons, has an indicated horsepower
Greece has one small coast-defense
ironclad, the Basieus Georgios, and four
small cruisers, two of which are of steel,
one of iron and one of wood. Their
names are the Sfaktirea. the Mykale,
the NauarchOs Miaulis and the Hellas.
In the fleet there are sixteen gunboats
and thirty-one torpedo boats, twelve
OF the first class and nineteen of the
second class. In addition the fleet in
cludes twenty small vidette boats and
two Nordenfeldt submarine boats of old
design.
The personnel of the Greek navy in
cludes about 1856 officers and cadets,
PAT employees, 5S7 petty officers, LOO
sailors, 503 stokers, or a total of about
5000 men. The navy is manned partly
by conscriDtion from the people of the
seacoast and partly by enlistment.