The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-25

HE relative rank OF the seven great
~ naval powers is as follows: First.
Great Britain; second. France;
~ third, Russia; fourth, United
- States; fifth, Germany; sixth,
Italy seventh, Japan.
This evaIuatlon Is based upon their
actual fighting strength, and includes all
the constructions that have any war yaiue.
Nc statstician has yet constructed a
formula by which maritime battle strength
may be solved. AS rule. naval bureaus
are ever CRYING for more ships, more guns.
more men and more everything, Germany
has a rule which sums up its estimation OF
the life Of a ship, and though II Is 100
generous In its application. still II comes
n,,,h,n a fair hit or miss radius OF proba-
b,lIty In the sexennate programme-ths
one adopted In 1898, not the one which -
keeping the kaiser so busy In these days
the principle regarding the supersession OF
ships considered to be antiquated Is stated
this way.
..Tbe active life OF battleship or coast
defense vessel is reckoned at twenty-five
years, Of a large cruiser"--which. by the
way II vague term-"at twenty years
and OF a small cruiser at nfteen years
These periods are counted from the date
Of the first credit for the building OF any
particular ship up 10 the date wnen an
appropriation Is made for laying down her
successor"
Our theories DO not jump with this ex-
actly, nor DO those OF Great Britain ana
the continental nations, though II must
he confessed all these older countries have
some vessels OF ancient lineage mlsquerad-
ing on their lists as efficient ana many
smooth bore guns OF great caliber tagging
superfuous on q stage which denies them
This IN why most official returns are mis-
leading. as for example. the one printed
herewith. which Is Almost the last official
word spoken on the subject. 1t Is worth
studying, however. though 1t Will not DO as
tho Anal arbiter in settling those wagers
which are 80 often referred to naval ex-
perts for decision. Its date is October 10.
1899 and its author ID the Bhtish admiralty
All figures are misleading, and the dis
NAL science becomes most useless wneh
dreary tables are get down for the illumi-
nation OF the layma> I'm shape that
would deceive even the wisesr-s1 wariest
OF experts Take the present one In
this parliamentary return Gas IL Is caieup'
are included various so-called hattleships
built in the eos and '7os. cruisers that
could not get out of their own way
in leeward ebb and coast de-
Tense vessels that could not DO
sold at price within 10 per cent.
OF the market value of old junk. The
real use OF the table is. however. to show
how many Of the different types exist and
what are the modern tendencies OF con-
struction 1t Is not difficult TO see that
battieships and armored cruisers must be
the main reliance OF nations. not be-
cause they are I'm the preponderance. but
because considering their enormous cost,
OF the great relative number each nation
Is seeking to secure. Them. too, mark
how the construction OF armored coast
defense vessels and OF special types
tmainly freaks) has ceased and what a
measurable advance torpedo boat destroy
ers have made In naval opinion.
Certain experts In naval war refuse TO
consider any types except the armored as
entering into the determination OF naval