New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-05
NAVAL PROGRESS.
a MODERN FLEET WITH UNKNOWN
OF ENGLISH
x.,rprc-OJD AND NEW SHIPS.

ovo,a,ng details Of the Prince OF Waless recep-
ton and the ordinary features Of this splendid
,,or,ne pageant. This British fleet, with Its l'o
,,,s NJ all classes, was the most impressive
oxh,h,t OF naval resources which any natioh
hos ever made. and II represented every stage
NJ recent progress in marine engineering But
complete and powerful as was this armaoa' II
uas q combination OF unknown quantites SO
far as actual naval warfare was concerned
The precise value Of the twenty-ohe oa''ie
ships as fighting machines. which nave looked
so formidable as floating fortresses. no naVai
expert understands. The destructive energy OF
the torpedo fiotilla which made so brave snow
an the Spithead is a marine mystery. Every
one OF the numerous types exhibited Is expert
mental because there has been no naval war
not even the japanese victory over the Ill
manned Chinese feet-in which they have been
adequately tested. The fleets Of maritime Eu-
rome have been built on new and constantly
varying lines for a quarter Of a century, and ex-
perience in actual warfare has been lacking.
There is no reason to doubt that naval war
between two European Powers would revolu-
tionze naval architecture. 1t would test the de-
fensive qualities Of armor and the seaworthi-
ness and stability Of batte-ships in action. II
would demonstrate the destructive capacity OF
torpedo-boats upon which the fate of all large
vessels Of war depends 1t would reveal the
capacity Of n fleet Of ironclads. with their COM
plex steam and electric engineering. 10 resist
and endure q wel-directed fire from the heavi-
est guns in well-apponted fortresses on lano'
1t would decide a hundred debatabe points
which are now involved in uncertainty and con-
troversy. After a decisive naval war types now
accepted will be rejected. and the fleets OF mari
time Europe will be reorganiZed. Untl such a
war is fought the proudest feet is an invest
ment Of millions Of treasure in what may prove
10 be worthless securities.
ENGLISH PRUDENCE.
While the building of a fleet under these eX-
detrimental conditions is an exhibition or human
credulity the British Admiralty has adopted the
only safe and practical course in view OF these
uncertainties 1t has provided large number
of war-vessels of every type. so that there VIII
be a strong navy whenever the question or the
survival of the fttest is determined by great
engagement. Battle-ships. cruisers, gunpoats
and torpedo craft Of every known model ana de-
sign are now af1oat. and whenever the superior
efficiency of any class of fighting ship is proved
England will be found to be we'll equipped ana
able TO match any other nation IN that parucu-
lar type Nothing could be more complete as
an exhibit of naval progress than to-day hoh-
Iay parade at the Spltledu ne 'c9' SNiPS 20
every class are anchored there under the Union
Jack After naval war there may be many
types fit only for condemnation as miscalculated
and inefficient: but there will also be enough
and TO spare Of those which are SHOWN by eA-
perience TO be really serviceabe.
English naval experts. moreover. are con-
stantly on the alert, and determined not 10 be
SURPASSED in any direction or branch Of the ser
began
cruisers the Admiralty was not TO be out
stripped The Powerful and the Terrible in the
centre of the two outermost lines in the Spit
head are o2-knot ships with $4,000 horsepower
and a disbursement OF "A 200 tons. The Rus
sian Government is now building cruiser
which will be larger than either Of these cruis-
ers. and will have a speed of % knots. If IT
succeeds in this undertaking II will not be
long before there is another cruiser under the
English flag equally large and fast me
armored cruiser Brooklyn has come over from
America with tunnels almost as high as shot
towers The fame Of those tunnels Of Engineer
Melville had already been waited across the At
lantic. and within a few months the stacks OF
the Powerful and Terrible have been length
ened
An Austrian ship is now at anchor among the
,uar+v foreign war-vessels and is attracting
much attention She is the Wien and is known
asa defence vessel She is neither a large
nor a fast vessel, but she is heavily armed ana
we'll protected with a complete belt or steel
The experts have discovered at once that there
IS nothing exactly like the Wien in the British
Navy and that in actual warfare she VIII nave
the advantage Of using a powerful battery III
comparatively shallow water. They are I'M
pressed with the necessity OF initiating this
model and are protesting against further neg
lect Of what may be. under certain circum-
stances. a very useful class Of fighting ships
1t Is we'll within the range of probability that
before another great naval parade comes OH
there will he vessels like the Wien under the
English flag. ,.,.u.
irspected is the Rossya. under the Russian
flag She is new cruiser INFERIOR 10 the
Powerful and Terrible in displacement morse
mower and speed but she has better protection
against hostile fire and can fire a heavier broad
side What the critics perceive is that IN THESE
two respects the Powerful and her sister snip
would be al q disadvantage IN single coiipa'
with the Russian ship. This is an Illustration
Of the closeness with which details or naval
construction are studied in England Ever!
warship is an experiment, ana may pr pr, ,ha
rniscalculated failure in time or war; put the
british Navy is at all hazards 20 be Kept
abreast of all fleets and is to have always the
newest ideas and the best types s ssM and
England followed her lead in the Majestic class
OF which 50 many formidable examples aie
furnished In tO-day's parade Not long AFTER
ward the Germans ceased 10 lay down big bat
,le-ships and paid close attention to torpedo
craft The torpedo section in the Spithead
sbN,", ho,r ouicLlv this example was also fol-
lowed
RISKS OF MODERN WARFARE.
While there has been practical experience
in war OF the real value Of all the offensive ana
defensive appliances Of modern navy there Is
little reason 10 doubt that the dangers OF the
service have increased along with the cost Oh
ships and the intricacy and completely OF the
mechanism. The torpedo-boats are on peaeeiu