FRANCE AND ENGLAND ON THE SEA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1366, 9 October 1886, Page 3

FRANCE AND ENGLAND ON THE SEA.

The San Francisco Call says :—“Franca is coming to the front as a rival of England in steam navigation. The new French liner La Bourgogne has made her trial trip across the Atlantic, and, comparin'! her passage with that of the Btmrla, the crack Cnnarder, making Allowance for difference in sailing distances, the French ship is only fire and ••half hours behind the English. The officers of La Bourgogne say th-it she will • mpleioly eclipse her initial {ferformanees vhen hsr engines get into better working order. La Bourgogne is so built and fitted that she can be converted into a war-vessel •t short notice. Many English steamers are so bnilt, and the adoption of a system of Government subsidy conditioned on like construction is now agitated in this country. It would result in a 1 naval militia’ ready for quick conversion to warlike purposes ‘ Francs has never lagged behind in naval design and construction. Eve' when England was sweeping the French N*vy from the seas in the early part of this century, it was admltud thut French bulls were as gcoi models as were those of England. The Vnalish we e the better riggers and sailors by nature and training. ~ There has always been » suspicion among naval expert' the introduction of steam, ironclads, etc., threatened British naval supremacy The reduction of naval warfare to a scientific and mechanical problem tended to pot the French matelot on an equal footing with the dashing Br tish tar. There may be reasons f r the suspicion. Sir Edwni Beed, the noted English naval cocb'too tor, In a recent magazine article com pared British and French ironclads, to the disadvantage of the former. The French fleet presses closely upon that of England In size and efficiency. France lacks the colonial system of England to foster her mercantile marine, but she is reaching ont with her steam lines for the trade of the world, and improving her ships and maritime methods. So far as war vessels ate concerned, the attention of England has been aroused to the advances made by her Continental neighbor, which may result in improving her own fleet. If La Bourgogne and her sister ships of the French Line yet to be launched break the record for merchant steamers, there will be add tional reason for Britannia to look to her laurels. Meantime, the United States seems content to watch the race for naval and commercial supremacy without taking any part therein.”