The sun., 1901-06-16


are considered; namely: frst-clsss battle
ships: second-class batticshlps and coast
defence armorclads. armorcd cruisers;
protected and unprotected cruisers OF
over 5000 tons displacement: cruisers,
i.0oo-3. 900 tons: cruisers below 1000 tons.
and gunboats; destroyers; torpedo boats:
and training ships. Great Britain. as
might be expected. still heads the list.
She had 500 vessels Of these various classes
built. with displacement Of 1, ,44s. $50 tons
and II vessels building. displacing s47. 900
tons. Since the publication Of the return
some half-dozen battleships have been
launched, four Of them at one time. be-
sides other vessels; and new vessels have
been laid down. Great Britain's hold on
tho first place upon the seas Is still so good
that the real interest Of tho table lies in
the positions Of the other countries.
France stands second, with 400 vessels
built. OF 5ss,5s0 tons displacement, and "a
vessels building, to displaoe l25,0lo tons
Her recent launchings have been prin-
cipally OF smaller vessels. though she has
laid down number Of large vessels. The
British total Is 6i0 vessels. built and building,
displacing 1885, 4i0 tons: the French Is 4cs
vessels. with a tonnage displacement Of
7l4.l00 tons; that is. France has ois fewer
vessels. and more than a million fewer
tons. Tho very great discrepancy is
even more apparent in considering the
strength Of the nine classes In all Of
the moro important. France is far be-
hind its chief rival; where England has
4S frst-class battleships. France has 10;
Great Britain was building II. Franco
was building l battleship. Only in the
now discredited torpedo boat class did
France approach England; there she had 22s
vessels to Great Britain's 1877 But England
had los torpedo boat destroyers with 42
building. while France had but 55, and was
building none.
Germany in October had 23s vessels
afloat, displacin2 1853 900 tons and IS ships
building. displacing ss,e4o tons. Russia
had 204 ships aaoat. with a displacement
Of A2o.iiO tons. and ss ships building, to
displace 1910 tons. England's idea Is
10 have navy larger than the navies OF
any other two countries. France and Rus
sia are always considered as the two pos
sible countries; but the figures show that
even their combined tonnage. aaoat and
building. was only l,2s9.770 as against
England's l.105.4i0
The other Powers considered are Japan
and the United States. The former coun-
try had i2i ships ahoat. displacing 299.-
$50 tons. and was building "A ships, to dis
place Al 100 tons. Tho United States had
i5i ships in being, displacnG 302, $50 tons,
and 50 vessels under construction. to dis
place i7.42O tons.
This return. as we have said. placed the
United States in the fourth place among
naval Powers. the first three countries
being Great Britain. France and Russia;
We surpass Germany. so long ahead of US,
and Japan. Considering the countries
in the order Of their existing tonnage.
England stood first. followed by France,
Russia, Germany. the United States and
Japan in the order of tonnage under con-
struction, the list ran: Great Britain, the
United States. Russia. France. Germany
and Japan.
Since the preparation Of this table. how
ever. we have launched three first class
battlcships, the Illinois, lie Ohio and the
Wisconsin, and some torpedo boats. a total
OF more than 80 $50 tons; ard have begun
10 build warshps Of 1850 tons, so that
our figures arc: built. 93O.2CO tons, building.
300, ,G7o tons a total Of 7Cjs7O tons. Since
last October France has increased her
fleet in being, as we'll as her construction.
and so still remains in second place No
other country appears to have increased
its feet, either in being or under Construc-
ton. to the same extent that We have.
Germany would have to increase hers by
25s,OoO tons to equal ours; but her increase
is in armored cruisers and smaller ships.
Russia could equal us by building 1876, 200
tons: but her increase is in armored cruisers
and torpedo boat destroyers. Japan ID
behind Va by $4,000 tons. 1t appears.
therefore, that our place among the navics
of the world is third, rather than fourth.