RUSSIA'S NAVAL STRENGTH IN THE BLACK SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7341, 30 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

RUSSIA'S NAVAL STRENGTH IN THE BLACK SEA.

Dubing the late war with Turkey, the command of the Black Sea was held by the latter through its ironclad fleet, and to reverse this condition of affairs on the next outbreak of hostilities between them has been the constant care of the Russians ever since. The reader is probably little aware of what has already been done. in this respect;, and the efforts still in progress. JNicolaieff and Sebastopol are two great naval strongholds that may be considered invulnerable to attack. At each of these places there are shipbuilding establishments of the first class, and the Russians have now upon the stocks three ironclads intended to overmatch, in point of armament and armour, the most formidable vessels of the British Navy. Very suggestive of Russia's evil designs upon Turkey are the names given to these ships—Catherine 11., Sinope, and Tchesmeh, the last two those of naval victories over the Turks, and the first that of the Russian monarch in whose reign the first great inroad was made upon the power of the Turks in Europe. The Catherine 11., the vessel building at Nicolaiefi', will be ready for launching in about six months. Aβ she iis to draw 27 feet of water when fully equipped, and there is but 18 feet in certain parts of the river, not much, more than the shell of the vessel will be constructed at Nicolaieff, the armour being subsequently placed and the engine-room fitted up at Sebastopol. To insure her against accidents in floating down the river, owing to her great dimensions and the narrow width ot the channel, a very original feature about the launch will be that of placing her in a box. The Tchesmeh and Sinope are both being built at Sebastopol. As neither of these ships can possibly be completed for at least two years, they need not be taken into account in speaking of the chances of war at the present time. Later oa, however, their presence in tho 'Black Sea will give Russia a most formidable position in those waters, as a glance at the following particulars will show:—The vessels are to be all alike. Their length is 364 feet, and beam 72 feet. Two Bets of engines will be placed on board, each capable of developing 11,000 horse-power. The armour round the battery is to be 24 inches thick, and the armament is to consist of six 60-ton guns and ten 25-centimetre Krupps. The latter are being made in Russia on the Krupp system, bat of somewhat greater length than usual with guns of that calibre. All the material used in the construction of these ships is being produced in Russia, even to the steel armour. Apart from these vessels on the stocks, Russia has her two "Popoffkas," which, however, would never show outside Odessa, and may therefore be considered as but two circular forts forming a portion of the defences of that place. Then come the vessels of the Black Sea Steam Navigation Company, some twenty in number, useful for transport service, advice boats, and as light cruisers against merchant ships. All these vessels can be armed at short notice with light Krupp guns, and the swiftest of them are fitted for the conveyance of small torpedo boats. The craft are hoisted to side davits, +>he torpedooa being carried in-board, and then, on reaching the point at which an attack is to bo delivered, they are lowered into the water, and receive their weapons. Of the small torpedo craft there are at least sixty at the present time in the Black Sea. Quite half of them, however, are but mere open launches, fitted only for the me of spar torpedoes; the othera oarry Whiteheads.