The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-20

If naval controversy: and until it is as |
Certained no maritime nation can afford |
t. leave this branch of the service un- |
developed. England neglected it until |
warned of her inferiority by the actiVi- |
ty of the German government in sup !
plS ing torpedo equipment, and even |
now tins is the weakest point in the |
British navy. as is shown by the COM
parHtivc exhibit Of naval resources in
Mr. Laird Clowcs's admirable manual.
Japan IS displaying extraordinary ac-
tivity in improving the torpedo service.
In England she has contracted for the
construction Of eight torredo-destroy-
ers Of the type favored by the admiral
ty, and with an estimated speed oil ~
knots. -Four of these are building at
ThorneycrOft's and four at YarroWs. $.
Japan has also ordered recently in GER
many eight torpedo-Doata oi ~ tons
and one torpedo destroyer. -Four 9O-
ton torpedo boats are under construc-
tion in France for Japan, and there are
additional contracts for smaller craft.
With a record of nearly two hundred
vessels of all classes building at home
and abroad, the japanese government
is looming up as one of the chief naval
powers of modern times. In every
class she will have the best anoat.
FOREIGN WORK,
Each of the great maritime powers
builds its own fleets of war Nessels, ana
does not call upon rivals for assistance.
Russia does not construct warships for
foreign nations, but Germany France
and Italy are now doing considerable
work for foreign governments, especial
1,n 20
England has been cut out of various
contracts by its energetic competitors,
who have taken advantage of the re-
cent strike in the engineering trade.
Germany has been building warshirs
for China as well as Japan; France has
hcen reconstructng several Spanish
ships, and has secured important con-
tracts from the far East and also from
South America, and Italy has also been
building war vessels for Brazil. Brit
ish shipbuilders have suffered heavily
| from the protracted labor war, and
! have been unable during the last eight
months to take contracts for foreign
/ foreign work in which a time guaran-
/ tee was required.
The Armstrong; have been building
| at ElsWiCk two protected cruisers for
]
4,35O tons They have also a protected
cruiser of 4,3OO tons in progress for
| China and similar one for Portugal
They have in hand two cruisers and a
trairng-ship for the Chlian govern
ment They are building two armored
vessels, each of $500 tons, for Norway.
SPAIN TOO POOR.
The only English work known to be
for the Spanish government has been
| the construction of four tOrpedo-boat
dcstrOyers at Clydebank. These are
named Furor. Terror, Audaz and Osa-
do These vessels are Of steel with
three tunnels and n mast. They are
| 22O feet long and % feet in beam, and
have a draught of feet, with dis
| placement of $40 tons. The engines
have an indicated horsepower of 5000,
and the speed is estimated at 2S knots.
These destrOycrs have a coal capacity
of 100 tons. They carry two 14-pOund-
ers, two 6-pOunders and two l-pound-
crs-all quick-firing guns; and have
tOrpeGO-tubes of II inches on deck. The
last two of these vessels have been de-
liVcred within a few weeks. Another
contract for torpedo craft is said u
have been made with builders on the
CLYDE, and certainly the construction
of as many as twenty tOrpedo-boat
has been recently proposed at Madrid
Tie Spanish government is reported tc
have been negotiating for the purchase
of several war vessels under construc
tiOn on the Continent and in England
bur has been prevented by lack ol
money from making any bargain. it,
construction account last year includ'
ed ore battle-Ship, three ftrSt-C!aS,
cruisers, four second and third class
cruisers, and four torpedo craft. Ser'
erdl ships have been reconstructed II
French and Spanish yards.
The vast expenditure required FOL
the construction Of batrleships Of th'
best type carries them beyond th'
reach of a bankrupt power like spain
: War vessels like the Shikishima auC
her two sister ships now building II
British yards cannot cost less than tn
: Prince George, upon which an aggre
gate of over $45O0,O00 has been eXpend
, | ed. The Spanish government has eN
hausted its borrowing powers at hom
: and abroad and been compelled to re
: | strict it's naval expenditures for neV
vessels mainly to cruisers and torped
; ! craft Brazil. Chill, Portugal and Othe
= minor powers are forced to adopt
similar course. Japan is the only coun
! try outside the circle of great martini
pOwers--Creat Britain, France, Rus
. sia, Germany, Italy and the Unite
. States-which is building new nav
without regard to cost. Minor power
with restricted financial resources can
not pay for battleships of the Majesti
u class. They can only compete effective
= ~ with the great navies in. torped
. warfare.
To- EVOLUTION IN NAVAL PROG GRESS
The principle OF the survival of tn
fittest is indeed already applied to. ma
', val armament. although there has bee
: no decisive battle on the high seas 70
" the benefit of marine designers an
architects Only the richest nation
can remain in the race for naval su
% premacy. The weaker and poorer cour
: tries are forced out Of it. retiring ur
der cover of their torpedo boats. Til
: vastly increased conpleXity of the me
rhanisln of naval warfare renders sc
entitc organization and systemat
training indispensable for handling