New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-18
FRENCH NAVAL MATTERS
GREAT SUNS VOTED FOR NEW VESSEL s
REFORM IN NAVAL ADMINISTRA-
TIoN-NEW GROUPING OF FORCES
Paris. Anri1 G


last week NJ Lanessan, Minister of Marine
succeeded in persuading the Chamber and Sen.
ate 70 vote two naval bills Of the highest i'm,
po-tance- The two laws. which went into forcs
on March 2 authorize, between row and jam
airy J. 1907. the expenditure of SI32. 100000 for
laying down new hattleships and armored cruis
ers and S34 600 600 for the construction OF dry
docks and for the building and Improvement Of
coaling stations in France and at the French
naval stations Of Bizerta, Saigon, Diego Suarez
and Dakar.
Since the Waldeck- Rousseau Ministry came
into power. in 1899. no less than seventy-eight
new vessels have been laid down Most of these
are still on the slips Of this number there ara
two battleships, the Republique and the Patrie.
both begun in 1901: four armored cruisers. the
ArniraI Aube, begun in 1899: the Jules Ferry
snd the Leon Gambetta begun in 1900 and the
Victor Hugo, begun in 1901; twenty destroyers,
of which ten were begun in 1900 and ten in 1901 !:
four torpedo supply ships, begun in 1899: twen-
ty-fve first class torpedo boats of which three
were begun in 1889, ten in 1900 and twelve in
1901; thirty-one submarine vessels Of which six
were begun in 1899. two in 1900 and twentv-
three in 1901 The work on the submarines has
been so pushed forward as to enable France to
have including the ten submarines already in
commission, an efficient squadron Of thirty
seven submarines by the year 1908.
An important reform accomplished by ".
Ianessan is the separation OF the purely mill
tary administration Of the Ministry Of Marine
from the bureaus of construction and supplies.
Hitherto the flag officer, who performed the
functions Of chief Of the general staff OF the
navy, was at once director Of the naval and
civil cabinet Of the minister. and executive chief
Of the officers and civ. employees of the whole
department. This extraordinary power and
thori1y formerly enjoyed by the chief Of staff
have now been curtailed. The chief Of staff is
no longer the head OF the minister's cabinet. and
his functions have been subdivided into sections.
each under 4 separate chief. The chief OF staff
Is now Intrusted with all that concerns the dis
cipIne, instruction and mobilization Of the feet.
The administration OF the services Of armament,
equipment ard supplies forms separate section
under control of flag officer. directly responsible
TO the minister. Matters pertaining to artillery
and gunnery are placed in third section Tor
pedo boats and submarines form fourth depart
r1ent. Naval construction forms q fifth depart
unent- Strange TO say, all these heterogeneous
functions had hitherto been grouped together in
one administration under the exclusive control
OF the chief Of staff. Decentralization is what
NJ Laaessan has accomplished. and in this he
has carried out many OF the ideas of his prede-
cessor NJ. Lockroy, to whom is due the credit
Of beginning the task Of freeing the French
naval department from the IeSLeS COILS VI
red tape that in the last thirty years have
thwarted genuine reform and prevented minis .
terial DEGREES from having more than a purely
documentary effect
The Minister OF Marine has thoroughly over !
hauled and reorganized the naval coast defences.
Instead Of the Director Of Submarine Defences i
having control of torpedo boats, each port is to
have an independent authority, amenable solely |
10 the Maritime Prefect and through him to the |
Minister Of Marine. The supply Of lieutenants /
and ensigns for torpedo boats and submarines /
being insufficient. the master pilots are to have
the command OF some Of the torpedo boats. /
Hereafter torpedo boats are to be grouped in
pairs so as 20 assist each other in search Of |
the enemy, The first torpedo boat Of each /
group is to be under the command OF a Leuten- /
arr or ensign and the second under master !
pilot.
Al each torpedo station the force is TO be d. /
vided into two parts. the first kept fully manned,
while the second VIII only have q crew sufficient (
10 take proper care Of the vessels. Only after |
contact with the enemy by the first division will
il be followed Up by the second division The
crews viii be required 10 spend three months
on board the reserve torpedo boats
and Oh board the active ones, the first division
always 70 have mobilization Of AZ least five
days at the and Of each period Of three months.
Measures are 70 be taken 70 test and put on rec
ORD each month tie actual condition and en-
durance Of the torpedo boats and submarines at
each station and also 10 register their sea speed
Numerous workshops are 70 be constructed all
along the coast to effect temporary repairs.
This new organiza ton is highly spoken Of by
the naval experts, and is expected 20 insure
N extra or6inary efficiency and development Of
naval coast defences along the whole length Of
the French seaboard, on the Atlantic as well as
On the Mediterranean. The whole coast defence
VII thus constitute one separate department. in
trusted 3 vice-adrairal-
salient feature Of thu new naval construc-
ten programme is that far greater Importance
Is attached u the great defensive fighting unit
the first class battleships. NJ Lanessan finds
that the commerce destroyer theory, inculcated
30 vigorously by Admiral Aube. who was Marine
Minister twelve years ago, has resulted in the
building OF an enormous number Of swift cruis-
ers for which bzttleships have been sacrificed
u Lanessan has come 70 the conclusion that
this is not IN keeping with modern require
nents The French naval authorities have more
confidence than ever in torpedo boats, and are
especially proud Of their submarines. which are
likely 10 receive still further development in
The next years.
Another radical reform effected by N. Lanes
san is the new strategic grouping Of the French
naval forces in the East. The four hitherto in
dependent naval divisions OF the Extreme East
Cochin China the Indian Ocean and the Pacific
have been abolished, and all placed under one
command. called the Naval Force Of the Eastern
Seas The vice-admiral iutrusted with this i'm
portant feet viii have two rear adn1irals under
his orders and the three principal stations Of his
force are Saigon Diego-Suarez and Nounea-
This new strategical organization viii insure
ez1- hart