THE STATE OF THE NAVY.

North Otago Times, Volume VII, Issue 158, 27 November 1866, Page 3

THE STATE OF THE NAVY.

The " Times" in a leader remarks that the Government of Prussia, which has just been triumphant in a mighty -war, and is remodeling all Germany for its own advantage, expends upon the total requirements of the State less than we Bpend upon our army and navy alone. It ought to follow that we may expect some proportionate means of security and strength, but notoriously this is not the case. As to our navy, instead of being as strong as all the world together, we are notoriously not in the first place. Alliances might easily and even naturally be formed by which all our effective fleet could be outnumbered tomorrow. The position we have always vindicated for ourselves has been occupied by the Americans. They really have, or believe they have, a navy superior to all the navies of Europe, and their presumptions are not without plausible grounds. True, they have not attained this position without commensurate expenditure, but for this they have, at any rate, an equivalent return. Their iron-clad fleet alone numbers 75 vessels of various rates, and they have upwards of 500 fighting ships beside. The fact is, we have a navy, but it is a sham. "Wo have ships enough, but they 'are mostly UBoless. The "Navy List" tells us that we have nearly 600 men-of-war ; the First Lord of the Admiralty tells us that ninotenths of these are dummies. We have spent vast sums in patching up useless ships, and vast sums again in searching for perfection in a new model. That perfection we have never discovered, nor has any other nation discovered it; but other nations

have been contented with something shori of the ideal, and so have got navies proportionate to their charges. The American took the turret principle for better or worse, just as tho Prussians took the needlegun on similar terms. The reiult has been a most formidable navy in one case and an irresistible army in tho other, while wo are left to apply the lesson in discreditable haste, after a profitless expenditure of money which might have brought us all that we could now desire. Taking the last six years together, tho Americans have only spent about L80,000,000 on their navy. We, during the same period, have spent between L60,000,000 and 1,70,000,000, and have nothing like so much to show for it. Vigorous reform, therefore, does not by any means imply the necessity of additional expenditure ; it is required only that the same money should bo better spent.