The Elbert County tribune., 1905-01-26
Their Navics
MOI Formidable
What the so-eaIied Neutral Pow
ers" Possess

l
striving might and main In the struseie
for .uavai supremacy. there axe one or
In the modern sense OF the word. is 'in-
necessary and useless says answer
Such countries are automatically known
The most typical instance IN this con-
nection Is that of Belgium AlthcuRh
sandwiehed between France and Germa-
ny, apprehensiona OF annexation by either
never pertlrbs the minds OF the Belgium
politicians. The great powers mutually
guarantee Beigium's Integrity. The BEL
gian feet, however comprises some sew
enteen vessels. but the last thing they
would lie lit for is fighting.
The larEer number are employed as mail
packets, and any traveller who has jour
neyed between England and Ostend IN
n packet dying the red. yellow and black
Belgian nisan-of-war. The two crack war
ships are OF Tes tons; and have speed OF
Ing the vessels comprise the naval re-
serve.
Those vessels which are not employed
In the purely pacific capacity are .nlhin-'
tanned for the protection OF the nshinF
along the coast. In addition to this fleet.
however. there are number OF shallow
draught, stern wheel boats patroiiing the
rivers OF the Congo. but this navy Is dis
tinct from that OF Belgium proper. Yet
the country has ambitions toward naval
supremacy, for there are two coast de-
fense vessels and SIX torpedo boats pro-
jected.
In view OF the large extent OF the se,,
line of Mexico the navy possessed by that
country for the defense OF It's coast verEes
upon the ridiculous. The inhabitants
cannot complain OF being ground uowt
by taxation To support their navy. since
IL comprises only eight vessels, and four
Of these are wofully obsolete. The four
largest and most recent were constructed
In 1ao2-3 and are OF I.2s0 tons and 10
knots speed.
stin Mexico has no fears Hands oni''
Is the cry OF Uncle Sam when any power
casts longing eyes upon Mexico and us
terests and her reviving prosperity ue-
mand extra naval force. and n program,
has been elaborated for six cruisersNNrd
eight torpedo boats. spread over I've
years. at an outlay of si,ooO.on0 n year
Egypt Is another country wnich has
been saved the necessity OF building up Ii
navy by its protection under Engiands
wing. True. there are some forty l'onts
these may safely be placed in the same
category as the Thames steainboats-they
are about as ancient and efficient
The Egyptian man-of-war, when NOT
belching forth shot and shell. serves as
the khedive's yacht. another as "A trans
port and several In the capacity OF coast
guard steamers.
Many OF the South American states.
though immune from European aggres-
sion, thanks to the Monroe doctrine. yet
maintain navies-just. as 1t were, Ito
keep their hand in for auarrels between
them almost of everyday occurrence.
Perhaps the. smallest and mest bizarre
are those of Paraguay and San Saliva
dor. The former has one gunboat OF 40
tons carrying four threc-poundcr guns
| and two smaller steamers; while the lat
ter power IS still worse equipped. for her
solitary gunboat IL only seventy-five tons.
and the armament consists of one small
quick-firing gtiit-
Some of these powcrs-such as Ecuador
and the effervescent Nenczueia--possess
secondhand warships. Ecuador has two
old wooden and iron tubs purchased from
France. while Venezuela acquired an OBJ
solete Spanish torpedo sunboat. which
now acts rs flagship.
1t would be interesting to learn the
salaries which the aanairals of the nlvtee
of Liberia. cambodia. Korea or Persia
receive In respect OF their duties. and.
comprise. The Liberian admiral has
two ago there were two vessels demand
ing his supervision. bnt one. unfortunate
iy. foundered while at anchor The re-
schooner. is scarcely sufficiently seawor-
thy TO venture beyond shallow water, and
"pottins" seagullr.
OF late the Korean navy has faded into
oblivion. in comparison with the titanic
there are two vessels-the Chi Rong OF
100 tons. and the Bnnkchef Henrikson OF
GOO tons. What their speed is would
make entertaining guessing competi-
tion. Both warships. by the way. were
procured from Norway. and so Indifferent
is the country to naval affairs that they
have not yet troubled to change the name
Of the second vessel. which still retains
Its original Norwegian nomenclature
Another curious little navy is that Of
Sarawak- The present representative OF
Rajah Brooke cannot renounce his Eng
lish desires for navy, so has gathered
together motley fleet OF three vessels
the Lorna Doone and the Aline, small
screw steamers. each carrying Two small
guns. and small paddleboat.
Morocco boasts two small vessels
| Though obsolete, they are more formid-
able than the Costa Rican men-o'-war or
that of Johore. Even volcanic Haiti
maintains a navy. to strike additional
terror into the hearts Of Ito foes 1t is a
motley fleet in being. and one shot from
six-inch gun would send the whole
consignment of bulks to the bottom