New-York tribune., 1902-10-02
FRENCH NAVY CONSTRUCTION
SLOW PROGRESS OF WORK on THE KLE-
RER-sIzE or THE NEW NAVY
Paris. September 20

Paris, September 20
The French naval authorities are beginning 20
devote great attention 10 the rapidity with
which new ships can be built In the government
wards for II is found that the time required for
building armored cruisers or battleships in
Great Britain is nearly 20 per cent less than in
France. IL Is interesting TO note that the French
armored cruiser Kleber which was launched to-
day AT the government establishment on the
Gironde. took less than four years IN con
struction. The delay is attributed TO numerous
notifications in the specifications but the fact
remains that longer time taken IN build
ing her than has been the case with any vessel
of her class in Great Britain Germany. The
Kleber Is considered the best arrnored cruiser in
the French navy. Her displacement rs :. .I35
tons, and she has three screws Her required
speed Is % knots Her armament Is exclusively
composed OF rapid firing guns twenty-six IN
number. comprising eight Of i6I7 millimetres
calibre. mounted in four revolving steel turrets.
four guns OF 100 millimetres calihre. ten guns of
q millimetres and four Of 81 millimetres The
kleber has two torpedo tubes Of 450 rnilliInetres
diameter protected by steel plates and her boil
ers are of the Niclausse tubular pattern which
French naval engineers consider the best type
that has so far been invented. The only draw
bark about the IIleber is the extraordinary
length OF time taken up in her construction and
this makes her by far the most costly ship of
her class
The hattleship RtpUbuque. the largest vessel
ever constructed ior the French navy. which
was launched September an Rrest Was
built more rapidly than any vessel of her class
Yet constructed in France. The Republique was
ordered on June 2S, 1901 The keel was LAID
down on December > 1901 and she WAS
launched on September T. l9i2 date Of bappv
hugury, for Il was on September I 1870. that
the Third Republic was proclaimed The Rsr,,,b-
lique has displacement OF IA S0o tons ana is
the first Of a new type of six vessels which have
been ordered by the French AfiDistr-, NJ Ar.,i,,
The other hve are the Nerit6 Liberte Eealu4
Fraternite and Pauie The Republio,l. u a..
French equivalent 10 the British bartlesbin
Prince of Wales, measuring l5,0p0 tons but she
VIII more closely resemble The new tyne ~ hat
ueship adopted in the United States naval yro-
sramme, OF which the Louisiana and the con
hecticut VIII be first examples The question ,,
rapidity % construction is considered IA, ,h -,
Minister % Marine. N. Camille Psllets, -
vital factor of naval strength and n Is i,tsr.s,
ing 10 note the results during the last fev, ,-,s
which with the exception of the Kleber show =
marked Improvement The Gaulois from Tho
date OF laying down the keel TO launching ~
huit In twenty months. The lena I'm sixteen
months the sufreur IN fourteen months. The
Msrseilles in twelve months tho Icon ,,sr,ho,,.
and the Repuhlique IN nine months
The present naval programme adopted IN. D.
hament viii give France p navy cornposed %
twenty-eight battleshps, fourteen coast 5efs,,.
hattleships, tWenty-four srmored cruisers ,t,r
fv-nve protected cruisers. seventv-tu,o 5.s,,
ers' TWO hundred and ten ooesn-going town.,
boats and siNty-eiEht submarine vessels
CIR