THE EUROPEAN NAVIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1964, 8 October 1888, Page 3

THE EUROPEAN NAVIES

The latest comparison between the naval stcerg h of England and her rivais la the one which haa been issued by the Admiralty m the form of a return to the House of Commons Being m officta' dooament, this return should, of coarse, settle the vexed question onoe f r all England is returned as possessing 49 battle ships, including 8 whioh ara " not eflVo'ive unless repaired and 7 which ar>rot yv finished. Th a leatei 34, of types fiiich vary from the IWibow and Inflexible to «he Blaok Prin<n and <he Penelnpe. France is o-edited with 30 battle ships, of which niu« have their arm ur f >B<ene'l on to a wooden hull, 4 are returned as ' s^ns valour ssri-uae," and 8 are unfi tished. Russia apparently oau boait of only two s^a going ironclads, btr his s^ven others " completing aud baiiding." Italy has 15, of which 3 have wooden balls ; but bus hat also 6 large and powerful vsaels aofinlshed. Of arnr ared oraieero built and building we have 13 ag*tnsfc the 7 o! Russia and 4 of < However, wo could only bring 75 unarmoured otu'sers to meet 63 of Franc, 29 of Germany, 21 of Italy, and 18 of Russia Oat most striking deficiency seem 8 to be m first-oU^n torpedo boats, of which we h*vo only 86, while France haa 124, Italy 95, Germany 92, and Rmßia 24* Of coarse, our torpedo fleet very largerly ooasists of second-class and wooden Vo ts, bat of these we have only 78, while Russia has 70, Paly 30, and France 7-