The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-14
OUR NEW NAVY.
What the United States Might Do in
Naval Fight.

A Formidable Array Of Sea Fighters.
The Building Of More Ships
Will Proceed.
It is almost impossible to estimate
the strength Of the new navy OF the
United States now compared with
what it was only few years back, an2
while Admiral Togo's sweeping vic.
tory is fresh in the mind OF the people
OF the world, it is interesting to see
what would probably be the result OF
naval fight By this country today.
The advocates Of new and strong
navy will indeed be glad to run over
the list and see the number and
strength Of frSt-class battleships, ar
mored cruisers, torpedo boats, torpedo
boat destroy ers, ETC., on the active
list in active commission, and ready
at moments notice to do battle with
the great powers OF the world. All OF
our naval force is divided into three
fleets at this tine-tne North Allan
tic fleet, under. Admiral Rebley, D
Evans, the Pacific and the Asiatic
feet. The North Atlantic feet be-
ing possibly the strongest Of the three,
contains more 6rst-class battleships
and armored cruisers than the other
two, yet neither OF the other two are
considered weak by any means, con
tanning many Of the smaller and
sWifter sea-going craft OF the navy.
Admiral Evans feet consists Of the
following compliment: Flag ship Kear-
sarge, twenty two guns; Alabama a1d
Illinois, eighteen guns each; Ken
lucky, twenty two guns: Maine,
twenty guns; Massachusetts,, sixteen
guns; Missouri, twenty guns; Iowa,
eighteen guns; gun boat Scorpion,
eight guns; cruiser Brooklyn, twenty
guns; Dss Moines, ten guns; protected
cruiser Cleveland, ten guns; Olympia, !,
fourteen guns; Texas, second. class
battleship, eight guns; monitors Flor
ida, Arkansas and Nevada, SIX guns
each; protected cruiser Newark; gun
boats Bancroft and Castino; convert
ed cruiser Dixie; protected cruisers
Chattanot ga and Detroit; gun boat
Newport; protected cruisers Tacoma,
DeSMoines, Galveston, Aberanda, col
lier Caesar; coal supply ship Co'ga;
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Colora-
do and Maryland, all armored cru:s-
s,s; Minneapolis and Columbia, pro-
tected cruisers; cruiser Hartford; con-
yerted cruiser Prairie; gun boat To.
peka; converted cruiser Yankee; tor
pedo boat deStioye:s, twelve; two sub
marines; eighteen torpedo boats in
reserve: one submarine in reserve.
This strength represents the NJrth
Atlantic feet alone, now under com.
mand Of Admiral Evans.
There are now in ccm mission, and
ready for service at any moment when
The department. may call for them,
the following ships: Three ships OF
the class OF the Alabama, IL, 525 tons
is guns main gun battery; three OF
the Oregon class, l0,228 tons, 16
guns, main gun battery; one OF the
class OF the Iowa, 1l,340 tons, Is
guns main battery; two Of the Kaar
sarge class, IL, 525 tons, % guns main
battery; three Of the class Of the
Maine, II, 500 tons, 20 guns: one sec
ond class battleShip, Texas, $3.50
tons, eight guns, main battery; ar
moreS cruisers; Brooklyn, 92l5 tons,
20 guns main battery; New York
8, 200 tons, Is guns main battery; two
Of the West Virginia class, 1850
IONS, IS guns main battery; two OF
the Pennsylvania, 1880 tons, Is
guns main battery. There are also
TWO monitors Of the class Of the Mo-
oaonock; 4,5oo tons, six guns; one OF
the Puritan, 5000 tons, ten guns;
three Of the Amphitrite, 8 900 tons,
eight guns; four Of the Florida class,
8, PA tolS, six guns. Besides these
there are four torpedo boat destroyer>
Of the Decatur class besides numerous
other destroyers and torpedo boats.
There are now under construction,
forty three ships Of which twelve are.
6rst-class battle ships, ten are armor
cd cruisers, three protected cruisers,
the othors being gun boats, colliers
and torpedo boats. With this fornid
able array Of sea fIhters it can be
seen that the United States at the
present time is pretty well able to
take care Of itself, should occasion
arise for her to show her progress OF
the high seas OF the world. Besides
this it Is not improbable that since
ne have made so much progress along
his line during recent years that
aow nothing will step this country
from standing second to no country in
the world in naval equipment.