New-York tribune., 1900-03-11
FOREIGN NAVAL NOTES.

In the London dispatches few DAYS ago II was
noted that the naval estimates Of England for 1909
. reached the enormous amount Of s1S7 500 600 or
si6n0D more than those Of 1899. This budget not
only provides for a increase in ships but OF go
more officers and 1920 more enlisted men. made
necessary by the increase in war vessels up to the
present II is proposed 10 lay down two battle
ships, six first class armored cruisers one second
lass G cruiser. cru Two twin screw soops two gun
Doals ana TWO torpedo boats This viii make a
toLaI under construction this year Of seventeen
ers one third class cruiser eight sioops two p,In
DoaIs Iour torpedo boats and twenty-one torpedo
. boat destToyers.
The English service journals have recently pub
ished official data Of what might be interpreted
as weakness Of fleets. compared with those Of
France and other naval Powers. It IS stated that
the Channel is denuded Of organized squadrons.
uonal hotllas Of destroyers; that the other fleets
in European waters are not up TO their war
the Mediterranean fleet need m7te cruisers.
The only new type added to the British Navy in
1879 was the Canopus. which is the battleship
70 be fitted with water tube boilers. She IS of a
type which resembles the arnored cruiser mora
than the battleship she is not strong in de-
fensive qualities The protected IS so
sI4L as Una ma r? 2I me algIlcm I oafIeship OF ne
l2-pounders the new Russian battleshps Of her
displacement
Speaking % batrleships The Marine Francaise ="
in article upon the French battleships, gives
a table showing the relative value OF the various
types taking into consideration axtal and broad
side IRE. This is the order OF merit given Kaiser
Friedrich III German Regina Margharita Gtal-
Asahi Japanese Maine United States). Canopus
,8rttishl. Tsarewttch Russian Retwtsan Rus
siam. CORVALLIS British. kearsarge united
States. 4 French ship. and Suffren French).
The naval budget of France contemplates an ex-
T4o, la,uqs
in the next seven years. 500 100000 year. As
there opposition appropTiatng this amount
II a lump sum because il would have be raised
by a loan il is likely that only one-seventh will be
appropriated each year. Naval men recall that
there nave been two large French naval pro-
grammes IN the last decade neither Of which mas
1886, 10 complete which there are yet be
srructed SIGHT 405J-ton protected cruisers and two
Of 2.JD tons each
Some interest has been manifested by the speed
trials II some Of the French cruisers The second
class cruiser Du Chayla, in a tweuty-four hours
trial in the Mediterranean few days ago, record
ed an average of eighteen knots. and is by
yera 80 lli,''' ye9rs 9r in service Her measured mile
speed. with clean bottom ana other conditions lions
With water tube boilers
The German Admiralty has been active of late,
and II the new naval bin is voted France will
have reason 70 spur herself. unless she wishes 10
concede naval superiority 20 her ancient roe. II
France does hurry up ana DAlld more Ddliie-
ships she Will be overmatched on me seas D! yer
slany.
Lord Charles Beresford observed in his speech
brf0re the London Chamber Of Commerce lately
that Great Britain requires an adequate naval re-
serve Accepting it a fact that the British
Navy Is IN some need OF an auxiliary OF this CHAR
scter II cannot be created in day, in few weeks
nor in a few months. 4 naval reserve is totally
different matter from "A military reserve. man
who would do splendidly as "A light infantrymah
IN the field before the enemy might be useless at
sea A naval reserve requires making. and plenty
of Il too The naval reserve Of tyeat Britain IL
said 10 be anything bat satisfactory at presenltt'
ard the efforts 70 Improve IL have been TOO hall-
hearted good. Naval reserves neSd 10
he well Dracttsed in guunery and well accustomed
"a +ba u.s. of modern weapons, besides having a
good acquaintance with them on me noaIhg pm plaat
form al sea a large proportion or England
naval reserves only trained IN me use %
obsolete muzze leaders. which they learn 10 iiis