The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-05
The lsritish Navy.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean. rs
Sir william H. White, the British d.
rector of naval construction, contrib
utes an important paper to n cur
rent number of the Nineteenth Gen.
tury. From il we learn that during
the past IL years, inclusive OF ships
that were in actual course OF construc-
ton on the last day of March. Britain
has made these additions to her navy:
Battleships, 80: the displacement of
these aggregates 400. 900 tons, and they
carry 442 guns; cruisers OF the hrst
class, 26: displacement, 1000 tons;
guns. 354; cruisers of the second class.
As: displacement, 200, 200 tons; guns,
400: cruisers of the third class. 81; dis
placement, $4,000 tons; guns, 226; tor
pedo boats, 20; displacement, $4,000
tons: u n IS; sloOps, unboa etc,
80: displacement, &c. 1000 tons; guns, l15.
In all, 100 ships. mounting 1,S75 guns,
propelled by engines aggregating l.
575,O 900 horse power. and of 955,OOo tons
displacement have been added TO the
British navy since 1887. This Is a for
midable showing, the more so that
guns of less than four-inch bore are
not counted i'm the estimate.
Exclusive of the cost of ornaments
and incidental charges, this great fleet
has cost $272. SOC, 900. OF this total the
battleships represent SIZE, 600. 600. the
first class cruisers not far from $685.
GOO. 900, the second class about $41, OOO,-
900, and the third class about SIC, 900, 600.
All these are either armored or protect
ed ships. The unprotected vessels in
clude torpedo boats. and cost about
SS, $50. 900, while the smaller boats cost
about $4,000, 900. Every vessel in the
fleet. says Sir William, is capable of
independent sea service. The fore
going list takes no account of a fleet of
SO torpedo BOAT destroyers. All these
have been built within the last five
years. or now are in course of construc-
ton: SIS are afioat. and the rest are well
advanced toward construction. The
cost of the lot. exclusive. of ornaments,
will be about $22, 500, 900. Each of these
ships. the smallest units of The naval
line. costs as much as one of the old
74-gun ships hat were "first-rate' in
the old days. This" says the author
of the article under notice. lis a strik-
ing illustration of the change in type
and cost of warships.'
When Queen Victoria came to the
throne the largest three-deck sailing
ship had a displacement of about $500
tons and cost from $3.50. 900 to $3.50. DOC.
Twenty years later steam power was
i'm general use and a t~hree-decker dis
placed about 1000 ions and cost from
81, 100. 900 to 81, 200, 900. Now there are
several battleships with a displacement
of more than 1000 tons each. and the
Majestic cost 81, 200. 900, exclusive OF
armament. The average cost OF a
British irst-class battleship is $5,000.-
900. inclusive of armament and stores.
A first-class cruiser now has a dis
placement of from 10. 1000 to $4,000 tons
and, says Sir William White. the old
time distinction between cost and size
in battleships and cruisers Is disap-
pearing rapidly. though other marked
differences continue to exist.
Sea keeping" quality has been
sought after in modern ship building.
and Sir William says thai the British
battleship now carries, nearly double
took aboard. There also Is a return to
construction of higher freeboards and
to greater height of guns o water.
Sir william hints also at the need OF
further saving of consumption OF coal
in what he calls auxiliary service."
meaning the electric lighting of ships.
the generating of steam for gun-work-
ing. the distilling OF fresh water and
for any other purpose than that OF
driving the ships through the water.
He quotes a report of the United
States navy department to show that
in time of peace more than half the
coal burned on a warship goes to
auxiliary service" This would be Q
serious drawback to the efficiency OF a
ship al sea.
The events that thicken around US
are likely to disclose fully the merits
and dement's of the new style OF war
ship. For. though our navy is less In
number than that of Great Britain. I,
is. ship for ship. of much the same
size and quality.