Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-19
SEA POWER OF THE WORLD
Enormous Expenditures by Nations in
Building Navies.
MILLIONS DEVOTED TO MEN-0f-WAR
summary Of the Naval Plans of the
United states. England, France,
Germany, Russia, Japan
and Chinn.

ut ItNtHl IaHlh bioNNh VI NhO
fleet and the extraordinary increase just au-
by congress make It one of those
the world must reckon with hereafter
says the New York Sun. We had, a day or
ago, actually in commission, counting
all sorts OF craft. seventy three vessels on
the Atlantic station, under Admiral Samp-
son; seven in Commodore Schley's com
mand, eleven in Admiral Dewey's, six In
Admiral Miller's Pacific squadron, Ave in
Commodore Howells northern partol squad
ron, seven on special service, forty-two un-
assigned, OF which some were for coast de-
fence; finally, seven training and receiving
ships. Here is a total OF 15S vessels in COM
mission, with eight or ten more preparing
for commission. They include many, like
golfers, that are not lighting craft, and
many torpedo craft and auxiliary cruisers,
yet the aggregate of belligerent strength is
certainly noteworthy. 1t is supplemented by
fourteen armed revenue cutters cooperating
with the navy.
We are building five flrst-class battleships,
namely, the Kearsarge and Kentucky, each
three-ffths finished; the Alabama, SO per
cent; the Illinois, 46, and the Wisconsin, SS.
We have six torpedo boats, the Rowan, the
Mackenzie, the Dahlgren, the Davis. the
Fox and the Farragut, all over four ffths
NoAiipiCNCu, Nht IN poob Ah'hNA
three fourths; the Craven, half ready, and
the Stringham, Goldsborough and Bailey,
less advanced. Authorized, but not yet con-
tracted for, are three first-class battleships,
four monitors, sixteen destroyers, twelve
torpedo boats and a lake gunboat. We must
not forget, too, the sister ship of the New
Orleans, completing for us in England.
At the close of the present war many of
the c%olliers, dispatch boats, transports and
other vessels acquired from the merchant
marine will no doubt be sold; but there
will remain a fine force of fighting ships,
with a large and veteran personnel. Before
the close of 1899 our present force of first
class battleships will be doubled and our
torpedo fotilla will also be doubled in num-
bers and more than than doubled in effect
iveness.
Whit other Nations Are Doing.
What is being done by the naval powers
of the world toward increasing their forces
on the sea is presented in detail in the cur
rent number of Naval Progress, a publica-
ton issued by the Office of Naval Intelli-
gence. 1t shows that Great Britain is build
ing or about to build los ships, upon which
she will expend $l07, 900, 900, and will in
crease her personnel by $500 officers and
men this year. Russia's program of naval
expansion calls for en- expenditure of $31S,-
600, 600. France is adding to her fleet at an
expense of S144 300, 900. Germany has a
program looking to the expenditure of $240,-
600, 900, and Japan's program requires the
expenditure of 1892, 800, oo0,
Considering her resources, Japan is max
ing a more rapid increase in ships and men
than any other power. France is construct
ing more torpedo boats than any of the con-
t~inental governments, while Great Britain
a - ..N-ll to- IA 49,,
Der, power, and cost of vessels of all types
and classes. The total strength of the Eng
lish navy is shown to be 100, 05O officers and
men. British improvements in dockyards
at home and abroad have been marked by
great energy. England is now building
J three immense docks at Gibraltar, and is
making extensive improvements at her naval
stations at Hong Kong, Malta and Bermuda
Russia's plans include the opening of a
new naval base on the coast of Lapland, at
a point between the White sea and the Nor
wegian coast, and connected by rail with
st. Petersburg.
nritafn's Program.
Great Britain's shipbuilding program for
this year has been increased by a supple
mentary vote of 50, 435, 900 for new construc-
ton in addition to the regular budget. This
money is to be spent in beginning the con-
Il oli ~ VI WHY Ao'A a. ~
cruisers, and four torpedo-boat destroyers,
bringing the new construction to be begun
during the present year up to four battle
ships, three of which will be of IA, 900 tons
and one of IL, $50 tons; four armored cruisers
of IL $50 tons each, three third class cruisers
of 2,135 tons each; six gunboats, four Of zoe
tons and two of $50 tons each; eight light
draught river gunboats; aix torpedo-boat de-
stroyers and one royal yacht. Being built
or to be ordered within the next two months
are 10S vessels of all classes, of which four
teen are battleships, eight first-class cruis-
ers, nine second-class cruisers, fifty-two tor
pedo boat destroyers, and the remainder
small cruisers and gunboats. The three
large battleships to be laid down this yeal
will be of the Majestic type and will be bull
at government dockyards. Their d~isplace
ment will be the same as the Majestic's
but their mean draught will be less by nin'
inches. An additional ten feet in length will
bring them up to 400 feet and compensate
for the decreased draught and also ten'
toward greater speed, for 1t is intended
that the new vessels shall mak eighteen
knots under natural draught. The fou
armored cruisers will be among the mos
, powerful vessels of this type in the world
and all are to be built in private shipyards
They will have a length OF 44O feet, bean
OF 69 feet, ana q mean uTauBnI OF 20 lee
and will be armed with two 9.2-inch guns
) twelve 6-inch, fourteen twelve-pounders, an
r three three Founders. Their bottoms wi
be sheathed and coppered for cruising pur
poses. Not less than twenty-one knots a
hour will be the speed requirement. TIL
other cruisers will be Of about the sam
type as the Detroit and the gunboats
t little larger than the Bancroft.
The naval program in France Is MOI
n extensive than that of any other continents
s power, the budget of this year appropriatin
s $50, los. 900, or a large increase over that
a the previous year. Frances building pre-
: gram extends over a period of eight year
y and will aggregate in 1905 about $144, 300, 90
e making an annual expenditure for increa!
h ing the strength OF the fleet of SIS. 900, 90
France, like Russia, is looking to the futul
regarding her naval strength, and is makir
provision for war. She has now under col
struction twelve battleships and nine a
mored cruisers, besides a great number
d torpedo boat destroyers and smaller ships.
A New Departure.
IT French naval constructors have dared
o deviate more than those of any other matte
IF from the traditional forms of the old wood
5. fighting ships In building the new fightiI