New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-03
THE AMERICAN NATF.


To-days review ar Oyster Bay naturally sug-
gests 70 those who have closely followed recent
naval progress al home and abroad compari-
son between the presen. strength Of this coun-
try AZ ses and that Of the other leading powers
Early i'm the current year Great Britain had 40
first class bsttleships In commission zone of
which has been lost. Germany Is. the United
States IL and France and Japan each IL. In
this one type OF vessel England greatly outnum-
bered other countries. From the figures here
cited there would seem 70 he something like
equality between the United States. Germany,
France and Japan but perceptibe differences
appear on close scrutiny. Germany's best bat
tleships four belonging 70 the Braunschweig
class. have a displacement Of 1900 tons
and speed OF eighteen knots. They mount
four 11-inch guns and fourteen whose calibre Is
g. inches. In Admiral Evanss command there
are now four ships Of greater size and gun
power than these. Three Of the Virginia class
and one OF the Louisiana class are now in
commission Each of them mounts four 12inch
breechloaders and carries dozen 6-inch or finch
rifles. hut they are equipped also with s-inch
guns (eight 10 a ship. and ought 10 prove more
than a match for the German vessels japan
has only rwo battleships at all comparable with
the Virginia and Louisiana-the recently COM
pleted Katori and Kashima-while France is NJ
the same disadvantage as Germany. On part of
her battleships she carries four Pinch breech-
leaders and on others two OF that size and two
OF II inches. The next smaller guns have
caiibre of either Ga or So inches.
In the possession OF first class cruisers Eng
land, as might have been expected. also shows
a remarkable superiority She was credited in
the last edition OF Brassey's Naval Annual
with 80, while France has 10 Japan O. the
United States S and Germany g. Here again.
sl,se &c 1kf 10 hat chnrvfny
chan any other except England Nowhere else
in the world is there a squadron like that which
Admiral Brownson commands. The Drake and
other English cruisers have the speed and anna
ment OF the West Virginia and her consOrts, but
they have not been assembled under one officer,
like the four vessels which brought the Presi-
dent home from New Orleans last winter, and
which will this week sail for the Aslatic sta
ton. Germany's hest six cruisers belong TO four
separate classes and they are all inferior in
speed 70 the West Virginia. France is trihe
better off. hut has squadron resembling Ad-
miral BrOwnson's. Neither has Japan.
When the vessels now under construction for
the leading naval powers are completed the
United States will have o. first class battleships
mot counting the Michigan and South Carolina.
which have just been put under contract. Ger
many "a and France II When these are all in
commission this country will have dozen
five like the Virginia and seven Ike the Louis
lanai. which will be better than anything Ger
many can show. Her FIVE battleships Of the
Deutschland class will have a few more 67-inch
guns than those Of the Braunschweig class, but
will carry nothing corresponding 10 the s-inch
guns OF the new American hattleshps. In the
total number Of her hattleships France will be
weaker than the United States. and her six new
vessels Of the Repubque class, while carrying
guns with a calihre Of g inches. will lack the
additional ordnance of the batteries Of the Nir
ginia and Louisiana classes. which includes a
dozen einch or finch rifles besides their
twelves and Fights
When her new first class cruisers are I'm
ished the United States will have two more of
the West Virginia class. two more like the
Charleston and four Of an entirely new class
OF which the Tennessee will he the first in com
mission. The Tennessee and her sisters will
carry slightly heavier guns than the West Wiz
ginia. snd some Of them are meant 10 develop
speed Of twenty three knots This cOuntTy's list
of first class cruisers will within year or so
contain 16 ships, France will soon have Il and
Japan 13. the French cruisers approaching the
best American vessel IF that type in strength.
and those Of japan -four in numberl really re-
semblng battleships i'm size and armament.
These Asiatc ships which have only Just been
begun are the only foreign cruisers that promise
equality with those Of Admiral Brownsoa's
squadron or the Tennessee and her sister ships.
The next important step taken by the great
naval powers will be 10 build battleships much
heavier than any now I'm actual service Eng
land has made a beginning with the Dread
nought. which displaces 5000 tons. and is now
in commission. though not quite finished.
Three more such ships (Or larger OnesJ Will he
begun at British yards this year. Germany is
committed 10 two. bur may increase their size;
has "a haV Of
displacement and Japan is 10 have two. displac-
ing I9.Oo0 tons each. The United States Navy
Department was unable 10 secure authority last
spring 10 ',egin work a hattleship equal or
superior to the Dreadnought in size. but will
probably he more successful next winter. In
the mean time Americans will have the salts
faction Of knowing that when the Michigan and
South Carolina. under contract. are com
pleted-as they should he within three years
each will have a greater gun power than any
ship which the President will review AT Oyster