THE CHINESE NAVY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1144, 29 May 1880, Page 4

THE CHINESE NAVY.

The United States Monthly has collected some interesting data touching the growth of the Chinese navy and we extract the following : —“ In 1876 a navy yard was established at Shangahi, and since that time two large steam frigates of 3000 tons each have been turned out, five gunboats, and a small ironclad for river service. One of the frigates is equipped with Krupp guns. The arsenal is stored with small arms and heavy guns of the most approved pattern} There is also heavy machinery for the manufacture of armor plate, and a powder factory. Again at the treaty port of Foochow, M. Gignel a French naval officer, has, during the last seven years, constructed an immense navy yard, with ironworks rolling-mills, engine factories, and building slips, and at this yard there have been constructed engines and armaments for 16 vessels, 11 of which are over 1000 tons displacement. The Chinese do not, however, rely entirely upon their own dockyards and constructors, for they have recently had constructed in England a series of gunboats of the latest type, armed, with the latest improved and heaviest guns. Recently the Chinese obtained a new gun of English construe* tion. It is described in the following paragraph :—This is of the new Elawick type, 11 in, 35 ton, muzzle-loading, and of the chamber pattern. But while » the calibres and weights of the new guns are less than the 38 ton their power and range are enormously increased, and they have a superiority in penetrating power of 15 'per cent over the 38 ton, which latter was the heaviest weapon afloat in Europe at the time the Chinese boats sailed from England. This superiority is obtained by marvellous powder charges which they burn, these being 235 pounds or 35 pounds more than the heaviest experimental charges which have yet been fired from the British service 12 inch 38 ton gun mounted on board the Dreadnought. The gun is four feet nine inches longer than the 38 ton, its bore is 21 feet 4 inches in length, and it is chambered for a length of 57 inches, giving 34 cubic inches of space for every pound of charge. Its range has been calculated up to 7500 yards, the elevation for which is lOdeg 29 min.’ Nearly all their gunboats are good sea-going vessels. Those of English build made the passage from England to China under steam, and with the exception of one English and one Italian vessel, not yet put in commission, the Chinese have put to sea more powerful guns than any nation on the globe. In addition to the gunboats mentioned of English build, eight other small gunboats have been built in England for the Chinese navy. No less than 17 composite gunboats have been built at the Foochow arsenal, while 10 wooden frigates and five gun-vessels have been built at Shanghai. And lastly, the Chinese are not only providing themselves with a large number of torpedo boats, but they have recently ordered from an English firm of shipbuilders a double turreted steel armour clad vessel, to have a speed of 16 knots an hour.