The San Francisco call., 1899-06-26
NEWS OF FOREIGN NAvIEs.

Japan has placed orders in Europe for
one third-class cruiser, two torpedo-gun-
boats, one reserve torpedo-boat eleven
torpedo-boats of the first class and six
teen smaller torpedo-boats.
The British cruiser Scylla, while at gun
practice in the Mediterranean, steamed at
12 knots and fired 70 rounds at target
1900 yards distant, scoring 56 hits, or 50
per cent.
The battIeship c, building at Will
helmshafew. although Of the same gen.
eral type as the Kaiser Frederick III and
the Koenig Wilhelm, is to have engines
of 10 900 horsepower and a speed of 10
knots. against 1900 horsepower and Is
knots of the other ships.
The British battleship Hannibal, 1890
tohs,' which has only been in commission
about six months, recently made long
distance run at sea, during which she av-
eraged 165 knots. Her trial speed under
forced draught was 17.5 knots, and her
performance under service conditions ex-
ceed the expectations by over one knot.
Krupp. by a new system of hardening
armor plates, gives a greater thickness
of hardness and harder surface to the
plates. The improvement is effected by
adding % per cent more nickel than for
merly. The cost per ton is thereby in
creased to about $400 per ton, but this in
creased cost, it is believed, will be offset
by the less quantity that may be required
on account of the improved quality of
the armor.
With the completion Of the Amphitrite
the British navy counts seven cruisers
Of one type of 1000 tons, 1880 horse
power and 20.5 knot speed. The Amphi-
trite made her eight-hour full power trial
last month with good results, developing
S,229 horsepower and averaging 20.78
knots, the coal consumption being only
1.57 pounds per horsepower per hour. I'm
der one-ifth power the horse
power was 5000 and the speed
1882 knots, with coal consump-
ton of 154 pounds In the meas
speed 1913 knots, with 112 revolutions, and
the coal expended was only 1.43 pounds
per horsepower. Other ships of the
same type gave the following re-
suits: Europa, 14; Andromeda, LA;
Adriadne, 1.73; Diadem, Isl; Ar
gonaut, 160. and the Niobe, 155
pounds All these ships are fitted with
BelleviIle water-tube boilers, but various
Improvements have been experimental
with in successive trials with most salts
factory results in the Amphitrite.
Startling disclosures of the inefficient
state of the Italian navy have recently
been made in an official report by board
of examiners to the Minister of Marine .
The navy list bears the names of twelvS1
battleships and nine armored cruisers, the
oldest built in 1864 and four launched in
1897 but still uncompleted. OF the battle
ships the Afonda tore, DuiIio and Lepanto
are only fit for coast guards. and the
Italia may be utilized as a floating bat
terry. Five armored cruisers are also
condemned for sea service and good for
coast guard, and include the Ancona,
Casteligardo Marco Polo, Maria Pia
and San MARITIME. OF the ffty-two un-
armored vessels. classed as cruisers and
torpedo-gunboats, five of the fourth class
and all nine of the fifth are only fit for
transports or as coasting cruisers. The
ships of the sixth class and the two Of
the seventh class are absolutely useless.
The five torpedo boats of the first class,
namely the Aguila. Sparviero, NibiO, Az
voltolo and Falco, built in 1885, cannot be
used in active service except with eX-
treme prudence and of the 153 smaller tor
pedo boats only so are in good condition.
and they are eleven years old. These also
could only be used in coast defense, and a
few destroyers would play havoc with
this fleet. In case of war only three of
the large ships building could be made
ready, and the rest of the armored and
cruiser fleet not absolutely condemned for
further sea service would be found to re-
quire many defects to be made good be-
fore they could cope with any hope of
success against foreign fleet.
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