THE EASTERN CRISIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10419, 17 April 1897, Page 5

THE EASTERN CRISIS.

NAVAL PORCES IN CRETAN WATERS. Thr German ironclad Saiserin Augusts has arrived at Canes, and landed 60 eailori to join in the European occupation. Assuming each squadron in Cretan waters to be able to land one-third of the complement of its ship?, the figures now stand gomethimj like thisltaly, 900; Great) Britain, 890 ; Russia, 850 ; Austria-Hungary, 330; France, 330; and Germany, 150. The number of effective battleships and cruisers which each of the Great Powers has in commission between Sevastopol and Vigo is as follows :—

The Greek flood is nob numerous, bub it contains several vessels which may certainly be expected to give a good account of anything Turkey is likely to sond afloat. The three principal vessels aro the Hydra, Spetsai, and Psara, small battleships oi 4885 tons displacement. Greece has two other battleships, but they are old, and not of any great account, except possibly for harbour defence. She has no modern cruisers, bub a corvette, the Nauarchos Miaulis, carries 6in. guns, and is tho ship which stopped the Turkish despatch-vessel Fuad. There are also two smaller armed vessels, the Sfaktirea and Mykalo, used at transports, and several gunboats, old and slow. The serviceable torpedo-boat flotilla consists of six boats. The Ottoman Empire has a formidable fleet on paper, but the announcement) that two squadrons are to bo prepared for sea, each to consist of four battleships and i proportion of torpedo boats, has only excited ridicule. A? it is with the battleships so it is with the cruisers. Tha torpedo-boat flotilla, on the other hand, appears to be in better condition, and in' eludes some destroyers and first-class boats, faster and more modern than anything possessed by the Greeks.

Battleships. Cruisers. Great Britain 16 12 Italy ... 5 7 Russia 11 5 France 8 7 Austria-Hungary ... 1 2 Germany — 1