The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-04-30
THE BUILDING OF
A GREAT navy
Extraordinary Progress Being
Made in England.
Fifty New Warships to Be Put in
Commission This Year.
Twenty-one Armored Vessels still
on the Stocks-Increase In
the Personnel.

will be a remarkable one in every respect.
The personnel of the fleet will be increased
to 1l0.640 officers and men-about three
times the number which were voted In the
early days OF the Quens reign. and nearly
twice those of ten years ago. But. the signs
of most surprising development will be In
connection with the feet itself. Owing to
the delays traceable to the engineering dis
pute of 1897 and the naval expansion due
to the increases In the sea forces OF Rus
sia France, and Germany large number
of new ships OF various types are In their
completing stages. and will in the new
naval year be added to the effective list
of the fleet. In the year that is now closing
not single armored ship of any descrip-
ton was completed. but ten protected
cruisers and twenty-one torpedo boat de-
stroyers Joined the fleet reserve in readi-
ness for sea service. The new year Will
have far different record in ships-a
record unique in the history of the navy.
The fact that ship Is launched Is
known far and wide. 1t Is accompanied by
all due ceremony, and attracts thousands
OF spectators. The usual christening SER
vice" is read by naval chaplain, choir
usually of the adjacent dockyard church
relieves its feelings and those OF the
thousands OF onlookers at one and the
same time; the lady who is the presiding
genius on the occasion dashes a bottle OF
wine against the vessels bow and sewers
with a chisel the retaining cord. and the
newly christened ship moves majestically
at a continually increasing pace down the
we'll creased slip-ways and at last piunges
into the water amid the ringing cheers Of
the crowd, the waving of hats and hand
kerchiefs, and the strains of the national
anthem. Far different is it when nine or
twelve months later the same ship, mere
skeleton when launched, takes her place
in the fleet, complete with armor, guns,
ammunition, and stores. Then the COM
mander- in chief and his staff and the cap
tain of the fleet reserve inspect her to see
that all is well, and she passes into the
feet so quietly that not one in hundred
persons is aware that the navy has been
strengthened by a battleship or cruiser, as
the case may be.
There will be half dozen launches dur
ing the new year: but in the same period
no less than fifty warships OF various types
will enter unnoticed from the completing
stage" into the first reserve, ready to hoist
the pennant when and where the lords Of
the admiralty may direct. These ships in
clude five first-class battieships, sister yes
sells of 1880 tons each, with speed of
eighteen and one quarter knots, and each
mounting the following armament of guns:
Four 12-inch Acton breech- leaders, twelve
6-inch quick firers. ten 12-pounder quick
firers, two 12-pounder boat guns, six g.
FOUNDER quick firers, eight 43-inch Maxim
machine guns, and six howitzers. The
passing of these five battleships-the AL
bion. Campus. Glow, Goliath, and Ocean
into the fleet reserve will mean an addi-
tion to the armored fleet of 81, $50 tons,
eighty heavy guns. and 100 light guns. and
will represent an expenditure of about five
| millions sterling. Not less important is
the fact that these battleships will make
a drain on the naval depots for 1850 off,
| GERS and men when they are placed in COM
mission. These ships form class to them
! selves-with the Vengeance, which is
| building at Barrow, and will be completed
next year and being similar in speed, gun
power, protection, and every detail, could
act together with great advantage.
Passing to what are known as protect
ed ships cruisers that have no armor
belts. but possess steel decks, and, in the
case Of the larger ones, armored easements
and coming towers-the admiralty hopes
to add no less than fourteen OF this type
| of warship to the effective list of the navy
These fourteen ships belong to three
classes, first, second and third class cruis-
ers, with total displacement of 79.34O
tons. 155 large guns. besides 242 light
quick-firing and machine guns, and will
require crews numbering no less than $3.50
officers and men-a number equal to the
adult male population of many towns OF
considerable Importance.
| There is one other broad division into
which warships are divided-those which
| are unprotected" In this class are in
cluded the Royal yacht which the Duchess
of York will christen at Pembroke Dock
yard on May 8; two sloops of $50 tons
each, the Rosario and Condor-the latter
recalling Lord Charles Beresford's ex-
plots at Alexandria; four gunboats of zoe
| tons displacement each-the Bramb!e, Bri-
tomart, Dwarf. and Thistle; and twenty
| four torpedo boat destroyers. Including
the royal yacht, of 1900 tons, these new
ships have a total displacement of IA zoo
tons, with 200 light guns. and will require
over 1900 officers to man them.
The additions to the feet during the
new navy year may, therefore, be sum-
| married thus:
Displace- Guns.