Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-01
"AMERICAN NAVY SECOND.3
to Figures Compiled. by
Pitman Pulsifer.

Washington, Dec. 31.-According 70
the Naval Year Book, compiled by Pit
Nun Pulsifer, secretary of the Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs, the United
States is now the second in strength
on the high seas of all the world Pow
ers. Only Great Britain exceeds the
United States in fighting forces afoat,
according to this volume. To attain
this position the United States during
the twenty-four years which have
elapsed since the building of the mod
ern navy began has expended $309, 1884,
1876. or an average of nearly $1,000, 900 a
year. This includes the cost of ships
already commissioned and those which
are now under construction. Among
the Powers, Fracce, which for long
time had held second place, is now rated
as third. Germany fourth and Japan
fifth. In the list which Mr.. Pulsifer
gives for comparison the United States
mas twenty-nine battIeships of iEore
than 10000 tons. while Japan has only
thirteen; the United States has eleven
coast defence vessels and Japan three;
the United States has fifteen armored
cruisers and Japan thirteen. In the
cost of battleships the Connecticut and
the Kansas lead the others. the former
costing. according to Mr.. Pulsifer, ST.
Coz ,6oS, and the Kansas $7,071, l4c.
Another table which he presents
shows the cost of maintenance of each
type Of worship, the average figures
being: Battleship, S6365S7: armored
cruiser. s155, ISL; protected cruiser, $751;
00z: gunboat. $115,5s5: torpedo-boat
destroyer. s17.354; torpedo boat, s51.G50;
submarine. s26,454. The personnel Of
the American navy, according to the
book, falls below in numbers the person.
nei of England, France, Germany and
Japan. The appropriation for the naval
establishment in 1856 was $14.9S0,472,
while for the current year the amount
was S9S,95S50.. The largest appropr!a-
ton for 4 single year was in 1906, when
the amount was s102,001,670. The total
appropriations from 1885 to 1907, in
elusive. for the naval establishment
were 81, 032, 502.977. The number Of petty
officers and enlisted men in 1885 was
$3.50, and in 1907 it was 3S,509 The
tables which Mr.. Pulsfer has prepared
show the following with respect to the
naval strength of the Powers: Great
Britain, Sc battleships. 1890 tons:
United States. % battleshps. with 1885,
14s tonnage; France, q battleships,
with 3ss,461 tonnage; Germany, IS bat
tleships. with 35S. 461 tonnage; Japan, Is
battleships, with ,49S tonnage.
The total tonnage Of all fight
ing vessels Of these nations is given
as Great Britain, S1.S21.S10: United
States, Titles; France, S3o.112: Ger
many, 6S07S2: Japan, 451,3o0. The total
number of ships in the English navy is
given as asa; in the United States navy.
1865; in the French navy, sos; in the
German navy, 210; in the japanese
navy. 1914. 1t will thus be seen that
while the United States has the least
number Of ships of these five Powers
she is still second in rank. The reason
for the excess of ships in the French
navy is found in the fact that, afe hasI
I'll torpedo boats and 90 submarines,
while England has only II torpedo boats
and As submarines aud the United
States Has only 50 torpedo boats and 10
submarines. -.