The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-19
BUILDING MANY WARsHIPs.
Great Britain, France, Germany,
Russia and Japan Increasing
Their Navies.
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore Sun.
Washington, June 12.-The naval ship
building progress of the world is set forth
in a recent issue from the naval intelli-
gence office, containing review of the
developments in all lines of naval work.
Great Britain, as usual, Is shown to be
leading all other powers In the extent of
her programme, but France is a good sec
ond, and both Germany and Russia are
spending large sums annually on building
schemes, covering certain periods of years.
Great Brtains programme for this year
has been increased by a supplementary
vote of 50, 1876 900 for new construction in
addition to the regular budget. This
money is to be spent in beginning the con-
struction of one battleship, four armored
cruisers and four torpedo boat destroyers,
bringing the new construction to begin
during the present year up to four battle
ships, three of which will be Of 1850
tons, and one of II $50 tons; four armored
cruisers of II $50 tons each; three third
class cruisers of 2, 1876 tons each; six gun
boats, four of 700 tons and two Of $50 tons
each; eight light-draught river gun
boats. six torpedo-boat destroyers and OF
royal yacht On these ships and for the
CONSTRUCTION
SLOT 100000 will be expended.
buildings or to be ordered within the
next two months, are los vessels of all
classes of which there are fourteen battle
ships eight first class cruisers, nine sec
ond class cruisers ffty-two torpedo boat
destroyers and the remainder small cruis-
ers and gunboats. The three large battle
ships TO be laid down this year will be of
the Majesic type and are to be built at the
government dockyard. Their displacement
will be the same as the Majestic, but their
mean draught win be less by nine inches.
An additional ten feet in length will bring
them up to 400 feet and compensate for
the decreased draught, and also tend to-
wards greater speed for it Is intended
that the new vessels shall make Is knots
under natural draught
The four arrnored cruisers will be among
the most powerful of this type of vessel in
the world and all are to be built in private
shipyards They will have a length of 440
feet beam of So feet and mean draught
of 26 feet and win be armed with two
nine and two-tentlIs inch guns, twelve six
inch. fourteen twelve Founders and three
three-pounders. Their bottoms will be
sheathed and coppered for cruising pur-
poses. Not less than twenty-one knots
per hour viii be the speed requirements.
The cruisers will be of about the same
type as the Detroit and the gunboats
little larger than the Bancroft.
The naval expansion in progress and
projected for the coming year in France
is more extensive than that of any of the
continental powers. The budget for this
year appropriates $50 000 a large in
crease over that of the previous year.
Frances building programme extends over
period of eight years and will aggregate
in 1895 about $144 100000, making an an
nual expenditure for increasing the
strength of the fleet S1SO00,00O France
t~ta.a E.aN
tie ships and nine armored cruisers, be-
sides an enormous number of torpedo boat
destroyers and smaller ships.
(iermanyS naval programme is also de-
signed to considerably expand her strength
on the sea. 1t provides that by 1904 it shall
be composed, exclusive of torpedo boats,
gunboats and vessels for special purposes,
of seventeen ships Of the line, eight armor-
ed coast defense vessels, nine large cruis-
ers and twenty-siX small cruisers besides
nine large ships in reserve. Toward this
fleet there are now building twelve ships
of the line eight coast defense vessels. ten
large cruisers and Twenty-Five small
cruisers, leaving seven ships of the line.
two large ana seven small cruisers to be
completed within the fixed period.
Russia has recently completed a 1900
ton battleship and has another sister ship
building Besides, she has number Of
small cruisers, twelve torpedo destroyers
aud several torpedo-boats building. Her
programme this year is not yet fully de-
t. rmincd upon.
The growth Of Japan's naval strength Is
shown to be remarkable, both as TO the
number and strength Of vessels being add
cd to her force In 1896 she brought out
programme, to be completed in ten years
Involving an expenditure of 1872, 900 900. ana
to give her four battle ships, four armored
cruisers, three second-class protected cruls-
ers' two third-class, eighty-nlne torpedo
boats and number OF smaller vessels AN
In addition to her present available navy,