Evening star., 1901-08-31
NOTES ON NAVAL PROGRESS
ADVANCE MADE IN NAVAL WORK IN
FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
Annual Publication of the Office Of
Naval Intelligence Given Out
by Capt. Sigsbee.

Captain Sigsbee. chief Of the Office Of
naval intelligence, has made public that bu-
reaus annual publication. entitled Notes
on Naval Progress" which sets forth In a
comprehensive way the advance that has
been made in naval work among the for
eign navies.
A noteworthy statement is that the new
German battle feet will be practically COM
plete when the vessels laid down in 1905
are completed, instead of in 1916, as for
merly proposed. Vessels laid down after
1905 will be either for foreign service or
the non-active fleet.
The subject Of wireless telegraphy, as
bearing on naval progress, is treated at
length. and 1t is stated that great progress
has been made with this new means Of
communication abroad during the past
year, particularly in increasing the dis
tances over which messages can be sent,
and in providing means to guard against
confusion where messages cross one an
other. 1t is shown that the British, French,
German, Japanese, Russian, Italian Span
ish and Swedish navies have adopted wire
less telegraphy to a greater or less ex
tent.
Fighting Strength.
To give an idea of the fighting strength
Of the seven principal navies Of the world,
a table is submitted, showing the follow
ing total tonnage Of ships, built, building
and to be built: England, 1.7G6, ,s55; France.
7s1 ,O65; Russia, 552. .546; United States. 5O7,-
4O4; Germany, 45s 4s2; Italy, 322, ,7O7; Japan,
PSI. .40S.
Naval appropriations for the present fis-
cal year are stated as follows: England,
$14a, ,755, $50, an increase Of over $40. 600 600
as compared with last year; France, $685.
244, ,65S; Russia, $50, ,0O5 ,297, an increase Of
over 600; Germany, SAG, 800 732; Italy,
So, $50 600, to be devoted almost exclusively
to shipbuiding.
Throughout the world the subject Of sub
marine boats is receiving close attention
from experts The majority OF powers have
been forced to accept them on account of
the successful trials secured by France
and the United States government. France
is already committed to their use by plan
ming forty-two, built or propesd. Germany
has had the subject under discussion. but
late reports are that the efficiency Of the
German boat has not been proved and that
the government will await further devel-
opments Italy is about to resume expert
ments with a submarine boat of about 107
tons, built three years ago, and has ordered
twenty new ones built, while the Norwegi-
an government proposes to add six to its
fleet and has ordered built one Of about 12O
tons. A design OF submarine boat Of
about 145 tons Is under construction by the
Swedish government and It Is reported that
an electrically propelled boat is building
for the Russian government. The United
States government has committed iself to
the type by authorizing five new ones two
years ago. all Of which should be launched
this year.
Target Practice Of Paramount ImDor-
tance.
The question of target practice is now re-
garded as Of paramount importance by
every nation which possesses warships, and
hence the leading navies OF the world are
paying great attention to this branch OF
naval work, and various plans are being
evolved to attain better results and to
make conditions conform to those OF actual
count, and rapidity of fire to figure largely
in the results obtained. In France navy
long-range target practice has been the
rule for some time French officers long
ago realised that battles in the future will
not be fought at 2000 yards-ths favorits