New-York tribune., 1905-01-08

The construction outlook for the French navy
IS stil more discouragfng because the programme
established by Parliament in 1900 has not been
carried out. and many of its provisions exist
only On paper.
According TO the naval construction law
passed in 1900 the building Of las units was pro-
ridsd for in 1906. viz. g battfeships armored
cruisers II destroyers p submarines, % torpedo
boats and l dispatch boat But for various
reasons there has been great delay in the exc
cution OF the programme. and far can now
be seen only 20 units, instead OF 143, can by any
possibility be constructed in 1905. AS q mat
Ter Of fact only a small proportion Of the ves-
sells that should have been completed in 1902
1893 ana 1904 have actually been finished.
Work upon the cruiser Jules Michelet, the
order for the laying down OF which was given
on April 3. 1902. has not even yet been be-
gun. This is also true IN the case OF the
desroyers Stylet and Tromblon. ordered in
Aay. 1902, and OF q dozen or more destroy
ers, submarines and torpedo boats all ordered
previous 10 1904 Construction during the two
years administration OF the present Minister
Marine, NJ Pelletan. has almost come 20 a
Etsndstin Vessels that should have been laid
down in accordance with the programme have
not been laid down, and a large proportion OF
those that have been laid down have remained
IN the construction yards untouched. The date
prescribed by law for the trial OF the battleship
Republic, October !, 1904 has been postponed
until May 4 1906. The trials OF the battleship
Victor Hugo, fixed for October 1. 1905. have
been PIT Of until September 4, 1906. The Naval
Budget report shows that in the government
yards there are only vessels actually build
ing. viz, battleships, 3 armored cruisers and
submarines; and in the private construction
yards there are only % ships in hand viz:
hrT-1r
and % torpedo boats. That is 10 say. instead OF
Al least 10 ships which by law ought to be
to-day under construction there are only 81.
The report indicates that France has con-
siderable advantage over all other powers In
saomersibles and submarines. Twenty sub
nersibies designed by NJ. Romazzotta have been
completed. Trial trips nave begun with
The single screw submarines designed by NJ.
Asugras. with a displacement Of 202 tons and
required speed OF eleven knots. Seven sub
merslbles Of an enlarged Narval type. designed
oy n LsuboRuf have been launched. Rear Ad-
mirai CampiOn expresses the opinion that the
employment the high seas of formidable
hotillas Of submarines is the only practical
means Of averting the naval peril which is a
perpetual menace 10 France. owing 10 the more
rapidly increasing navies OF foreign nations
n Europe. America and Asia. NJ. Pelletan in
submitting his estimates states that IN the
event of naval war # is upon the torpedo
uoats destroyers and submarines that we
should more especially have TO depend
The most novel feature OF the exhaustive
report Of the Naval Budget Commission drawn
up by n. Charles Bos Is the recommendation OF
NE construction Of nine new types Of vessels IN
known except in the Italian navy, described as
me euirassees-crciseur' or "battleship cruiser.
Ihls IS a combination between the battleship ana
ne cruiser. having the powerful artillery OF the
natueship but with the armor plating reduced
70 NE thickness OF that OF the cruiser. and above
~ with the most rapid cruisers speed and coal
radius Of action. The Italian battleship
cruiser Eittorio Enanuele IS the only existing
N0ce that resembles the class OF vessel pro-
pesed by the French Budget Commission The
-Aiorio Emsnuele. however, was specially built
'o he Mediterranean, and her low freeboard Is
condemned by II. Bos not giving high enough
'aaee for her big guns and several other
"'ooHeations are recommended 20 make the pro-
poseo French battleship cruiser more useful
IN heavy seas Of The ocean. The armament OF
tae new type would be Eve 12-inch guns. each
n q separate turret. and big rapid firing guns
arranged in batteries. c. ]. b.