The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1896.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 212, 11 March 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1896.

AM.hB.IGA AND SPAIN. a, As the Jingoes in Spain and America are endeavouring to provoke a war between their respective countries on the question of disturbances in Cuba, it will interest our readers to know the relative strength of the navies of ; the two powers. We are indebted to the Taranaki Herald for the information that according to Brassey's Naval Annual for 1895 the fleet of the United States consists of 67 vessels, whilst Spain has 48. Of the American ships, ' however, we must treat 13 as obsolete or somewhat out of date. At least two of the Spanish vessels are in the same category. So that the relative numbers stand as follows : United States 64, Spain 46. If one limits the comparison to effective armoured vessels, Spain can muster only nine to the Yankees' sixteen ; whilst in unarmoured ships each power has practically the same number, though in swift ocean cruisers of the most modem type Spain is much inferior to hep antagonist. As it is cvi- : dent that the issue of the struggle, if war does cotne — which, gi course, there is no immediate reason to anticipate, although the tone of public opinion in the States is exceedingly hostile at present to Spain's rights in Cuba — must depend on tbe command of the sea, this comparative estimate of naval force is not out of place. And from the details available it js tolerably certain that Spam has an up-hill task before her, though as far as numbers go her inferiority in seafighting power is not so apparent, Cjatess she receives substantial help from spore other European navy, which seew not improbable.