THE STRENGTH OF THE NAVY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10267, 9 February 1899, Page 3

THE STRENGTH OF THE NAVY.

__ o THE FLEET IV COMMISSION 1887—1898. In one of the longest articles in the United Service. Magazine, Mr Archibald Hurd gives some, comparative figures relating to the British Fleet in commission in 1887 and in the present year. He holds that the real text of the position of the navy "is not so much how many ships are there of various types and in various stages of completeness and efficiency, but howmany ships are there actually flying the white ensign round the British and Irish coast ,in the Channel, up the Straits, on the shores of the American continent, in theFar East, and in* the waters of Australasia —ships fully manned, supplied with coal and ammunition and stores —in fact, ready for immediate action." Continuing, he says —"The modern navy of to-day has little in common with that of 1887; and while urging that our supremacy over any passible combination of Powers is not so great as to admit of the efforts to strengthen the fleet in personnel and materiel being relaxed, it is well to bear in mind that Great Britain is represented in, Channel and in foreign waters by squadron's which are immeasurably superior to those which have safeguarded our commerce and colonies at any previous period of the history of the Empire." The writer then proceeds to contrast the squadrons in commission at these two dates, 1887-98, and state* that "during the past eleven years the Channel and Mediterranean squadrons have developed from a miscellaneous assortment of warships, with an aggregate displacement of 135,769 tons and weak guns numbering 647, into two powerful, swift, and homogeneous fleets, with a total displacement of 366,065 tons, and mounting 1490 guns; and the ships of to-day are immeasurably better armoured and protected,, and carry superior torpedo equipments. In other words .British interests in the Channel and Mediterranean are protected to-day by vessels of modern construction and armament of about two and a half times the displacement of the ships of eleven years ago.' , ; Turning to the far East the writer compares the squadrons of these two dates in China waters, and thus summarises his conclusions : —"The tonnage of the squadron has bee*n trebled, and in place of a heterogenous collection of warships mounting 243 guns (most of them small gum; and only ten of 12 tons, and those muzzle-loaders), we have a well-selected fleet, abrying four wirewound 46-ton guns, 18 Dreechloading weapons ranging from 22 to 29 tons, and a couple of score of smaller breechloaders, in addition to 112 6-inch and four 7-inch quick-firers, and a variety of small modern quick-firers and machine guns, completing an aggregate of 543 guns. Before the present troubles in the East had directed attention to the squadron the Admiralty had recognised the trend of events; the number of ships was increased, and a second admiral appointed to the station." There have been welcome augmentation* at the Cape, North America, the South-East Coast of America, at Australia, and in the Pacific; "but in the East Indies there has been 1e33 change than on the other naval stations. We have to-day only one second and three third class craisen, a> coa*t cfctace ship, a special re-

serve vessel, and four gunboats—a small contingent: in fact, considerably smaller than in 1887. This is of slight importance compared with the great and steady increase in the strength of other naval stations of more vital importance." "This statement of the increased strength of the Channel and foreign squadrons." says the writer, "does not represent completely the great strides that have ocen made, since it does not deal with the cruisers which are in commission for the transport of new crews to distant stations. This is an entirely new development. It is economical, and the fact that these ships are in commission is a source of strength. The first class cruiser Blenheim has taken to China a new crew for the battleship ->arflour. The Blenheim, one of the swiftest and most efficient cruisers in the navy, while passing to and from China was therefore available for service either in Chinese waters, in the Mediterranean, the Channel, or, in fact, in any quarter of the globe where events might make it desirable to strengthen the British force. The cruisers Terrible and Edgar are also doing "particular service," and are sources of strength, since there can be no douot of their readiness for immediate action."