The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-01
NAvIES OF THE WORLD.
All Leading Nations Preparing to In
crease Their Fleets.

Captain Sigsbee. Chief of the Bureau OF
Naval Intelligence. The latest number is
devoted to Information From Abroad. y
the navies of the world. The two most
important reports are those on the in
crease in naval strength as shown by the
budgets of the various powers. and notes
on ships and torpedo boats as gathered by
the officers Of the various navies Some
space is also given to the use of electricity
on modern vessels OF war and the equip
ment oil oattleships with motors and dyna-
mos.
Under the head OF increase OF naval
strength the budgets FIR isOo-lsO1 of the
powers are given. showing England to be
FAR In the lead. The estimates for Great
Britain amount to $144. SCI. ITO, an Increase
OF S4,sI5,915 over any previous year. The
programme includes fifteen new vessels.
making a total under construction of sew
enty-five vessels of sll classes. The naval
establishment HIS also been Increased by
4,24O officers and men, msk'aI a total
strength OF 114.Ss In addition to this a
naval reserve of 25.712 bas been enlisted
France is constructing and is preparing
to lay down a total of 220 new vessels of
all classes, to be completed before 1907.
The vessels will cost, when completed,
621,67O.OGO francs. The additions will give
the fleet 405 vessels. D.
Germany has outlined. a programme
which reaches until the year 1917. and
which includes the construction of q bat
tleships, IL cruisers. with 40 small cruis-
ers, and 16 torpedo boats.
Italy is constructing 10 new battleships
and cruisers, with 10 torpedo boat de-
stroyers, and torpedo boats. The cost
of the addition is estimated at 1s5. 966 677
lire
Japan has under construction III war
vessels, ell of which are to be completed by
1906. A new budget is being prepared
called 'the third naval expansion scheme"
Russia will also shortly announce a
new naval programme. and has at present
under construction. or Just completed, Is
battleships and cruisers. and 20 destroy
ers. The amount appropriated is 20, Co.,
600 roubles.
Spain is preparing to construct a large
navy to replace the vessels destroyed in
the late war In a recent royal decree
the Queen Regent orders that all of the
old vessels in the navy be sold for what
ever price they will bring and that the
be used to purchase or construct
two new cruisers as the nucleus of the
new navy. The cruisers are TO be used to
train officers for the forthcoming vessels
Australia is building nine new vessels at
a cost Of rs, 521, $50 crowns, an increase of
l,05S,710 crowns ever the previous budget.
: Denmark has two vessels laid down at
a cost Of 100, 600 crowns Holland is
building thirty-four new vessels of all
classes at cost Of Is, $50 .252 forms. Swe-
len is constructing fourteen new vessels
At cost OF 2O.s1s.6OO crowns.
In favoring the rapid increase of the
American Navy. the following article from
La Petite Republique'' is quoted as sum-
ming up the situation very clearly:
'The Spanish-American war and the
rapid and brilliant success of the United
States, the growing Importance of colonial
and commercial operations, and
The formidable questions connected with
The early opening of China, all show that
The military conquests of the future will
not be decided on the continent of Europe,
out upon the sea, and probably in the Far
East, on the Pacific Ocean. since Europe
mas decided that not only Africa and Aus
.ralia, bi5t also all Asia, must be considered
IS colonies belonging to her.
Wars for political supremacy will hence
'orth be naval wars, especially if in conse-
luence of the community of interests be-
-ween England and the United States, of
which We have often spoken, the next war
s brought about by the great economic in T,
erests which have recently accentuated
he antagonism which has long existed be-
.ween England and Russia.
In view OF these facts it is easy to IN
ierstand that the Importance of standing
armies is diminishing more and more.
They are instruments of war which can
)e transported and employed only TO a
United extent at tie scene of the contests
which the future has in store for us.
After the success Of Germany in the
of 1865 and 1S7O-71, the Euro
'ean powers FASTENED to increase their
standing armies; England even appeared
anxious to enter the new road by rencunc-
ng the system OF voluntary enlistment and
adopting obligatory conscription.
Now. however, things are about to
change. 1t is the naval forces that are
being increased. Russia, Germany,
France, Italy. and even Japan are going
10 immense expense to that end. 1t is
only necessary to recall the recent
credits voted by the great maritime
powers of Europe: and the result of
the SpanishAmerican war. achieved
almost solely by the navy, can but fur
her the development of the fleet
Until recently continental Europe |
mad been the scene of the great wars. but /
he results obtained were net proper
donate to the efforts made. Moreover,
lnder the influence OF socialistic agita- (
ion, frontier questions have lost much /
If their Importance. The revanche Of
france, the irredentisme of Italy. even
he re-establishment of Poland no
onger occupy public opinion to the
anne extent; its attention is now called
o other questions of gigantic proper
ions which present themselves in
africa, China, and the Far East There
ore the necessity of large standing
rmies for foreign wars has ceased
THE maintenance of naval forces i'm
'oses much greater expense upon a
ountry than that of standing armies;
he increase of the budgets of those
ountries which are most interested do
lot leave any doubt as TO this, and we
re only just beginning; for 1t is not
My d question of increasing the num-
er of ships, arming them and instruct
ng their crews. but also of establish
ng large number of naval stations
Which, while necessary, is much more /
ifficult. The lack Of coallng stations
'as one Of the CAUSES of spalns defeat
This is why the maintenance of a navy
equires such enormous expense and why
is not possible to obtain appreciable re-
ults il country does not have ut its
ispcsal formidable budget and II it can
OF count upon the reinforcement of the
avy by large merchant marine and
pom the development of metallurgic in
Under these condition agricultural
ountrics do not appear to be called upon
, become maritime powers of the first
rider. for there we find neither the nee
ssary means for creating and mobilizing
avail forces on q large scale. nor the ele-
ents for the reinforcement and repair
the fleet if the war should continue for
ny length of time.
"Thus the removal of the axis of war