Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-27

oppose but twenty-scvcn battlesfips. OF
tho Immediately available armored cruz
sers, that class OF nghtiny ship that our
late war has shown us the innense value
OF. Great Britain has eighteen ready for
service, while France can boast OF but
nine. In the matter Of protected cruisers
the disparity In numbers IL even greater.
Britain has ninety-five. while France has
but thirty In unprotected cruisers the
two nations are equal, both possessing
sixteen. These ships however. would
not be OF much importance In a mar
such as one that would be waged be-
tween the two nations.
France possesses more torpedo-boats
than England, owning 100 TO Englands
seventy. The difference In torpedo-boats
Is more than made up. however, by the
immense superiority Of England in the
matter or acknowledgements, of
which she possesses 100 to Frances thir-
teen.
The total number of ships ready to take
the seas with the flag OF Great Britain
flying is 1853, while France has no.
An important factor TO be considered Is
the size OF the vessels. Here again
Great Britain has an immense advantage.
The biggest battleship in the French
navy is 1900. Russia has no battleship
larger than 1900 tons. Germany's crack
vessel is II, 900 tons. Great Britain has
number Of battleships that are thousands
of tons heavier than these. The Royal
Sovereign, q magnificent fighting machine
launched In 1891, displaces 14150 tons. The
Royal Sovereign's displacement is ex-
ceeded by that Of the Families and her
four splendid sister ships each of which
displaces 1920 tons. Larger than these
even are the nine superb ships OF the
Magnificent class, with a displacement
Of 1900 tons.
OF fast cruisers the extraordinary show
ing is made by the official figures that of
vessels that are faster for the most part
than any in Europe. Great Britain can
send TO sea at short notice more than
can Russia, Germany, and France In COM
bination
A summary OF the entire naval figures
OF the three nations, taking effective
ships ready and possible to get in readi-
ness in a reasonable time. shows that
Great Britain would be opposed In
naval fight BIZ thirty-flve battleships and
seventy~ive cruisers of the French navy
and twenty-five battleships and twenty
ono cruisers flying the flag OF the Gar
Total, seventy-seven battleships. ninety
six cruisers. To oppose these Great Bril-
taiu would have sixty-four battleshps
and AS cruisers. II IS not too much to
say that, considering the superior weight
and steaming capacity Of the British
ships, not to speak of the superiority OF
the men behind the guns, our possible
ally in general war could be depended
upon TO keep Russia and France too
busily engaged TO think of turning their
attention to the United States.
H. Nt1z~
Poor Spain can safely be left out of
the calculation entirely as her boosted
navy is at present in the depths Of va
rious waters Germany Is credited with
having. Of battleshps six of the first
class and nine of the second class; Of
armored cruisers, seven; Of protected and
partially protected cruisers thirteen; Of
unprotected cruisers, six; Of torpedo
boats and torpedo oat-destroyers, 1s2.
Italy, who Is known TO be friendly to
England. and would probably side with
the Anglo-American alliance in the event
of a general war. has fine navy OF ten
battleships, eight armored cruisers. TWEEN
ty-three protected and partially protected
cruisers. and 2l9 torpedo-boats and tor
pedo-boat-destroyer Of all kinds.
OF the smaller nations, most of whom
have very little fight in them according
to n naval mans point of view; Den
mark has no battleships. no armored
cruisers, five protected cruisers, and
about twenty-five torpedo-boats, none OF
them formidable. She will be no very
valuable ally to the European Powers.
Holland has about the same kind If a
navy as Denmark, and can be counted OF
little help to the larger nations in
naval war. although she once took
good deal of beating from England
n rip cOnS1St-
ing of nine battleships, of which only
one is first class no armored cruisers,
six protected cruisers, two unprotected
cruisers, about fifty gunboats and tor
pedo-boats Turkey, as a naval power,
Is not calculated to scare an opponent.