WAR VESSELS IN COLONIAL WATERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5035, 14 May 1877, Page 3

WAR VESSELS IN COLONIAL WATERS.

The announcement that when the last Californian mail started there was a Prussian fleet, consisting of seven steamships, lying at anchor in the harbor of Sau Francisco* has rendered some people anxious to know the number and ■whereabouts of the British war vessels on the Australian station. .Referring to this the Melbourne Aryus says:—“We have taken the trouble to ascertain these particulars, but we are afraid that the information received will not tend to reassure those who regard the possibility of a visit from the Muscovite with anything but pleasure. The list is as follows :

If these vessels were concentrated, wo fear that they would not be able to afford any very effectual protection to the colonies in the event of an enemy appearing in anything like force. Four comparatively small ships, carrying 44 guns, none of which, we believe, are of great calibre, could not be regarded as a very formidable squadron for the defence of these scattered provinces, even if they were all within call ; but scattered as they are between West Australia, on the one hand, and Auckland or Samoa on the other, they have virtually no existence for us except in name. We presume that the Imperial Government, having had the possibility of war in view in view for a long time, has not overlooked the necessity of strengthening its naval forces in the Pacific and Southern Oceans ; but we must confess that, looking at the magnitude of the interests at stake, both on shore and afloat, we should be glad to know that the Commodore had a far larger force actually at his disposal.”

.Name. Class. l §| „ Present Station or Service. "Wolverene Corvette 17 1703 -tool Auckland Sapphire .. 14 1405 350[ New Zealand Nymphe Sloop a lOSt 3001 W. Australia Sappho 4 120, Cruising Beagle schooner 1 120 .. 1 Sydney Alacrity .. 1 120 .. | Cruising Sandfly 1 120 Rcnard 1 120 Conflict 1 120 • ■ ( „