THE GERMAN FLEET.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5278, 23 February 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

T HE GERMAN FLEET.

The German fleet hds'been increased by the addition -of three ;‘new vessels—the 1 ‘St'oaoh; named after the chief of: the: Admiralty,' iwhich has-been’ launched!-at Breddw,;;. the' Moltkc, launched at Dautzic ;■ and the ironclad corvette .Saxe; which is a vessel.of quitela,novel type in .the Gorman navy./ The Steach and tho Moltke are constructed of.lron.withjan'er.linings of zincirnidleak,-and-'are-intended for service on distant: stations.■ ;The Saxe :belongs t'6‘ |the .category of,weasels reserved for the/defence qfj the. German i coasts. ■'She only .icarries iron plates amidships- to; protect the boilers' and the engine ; and, in;place of.the iron plateslwhich in other vessels of this kind are placed:both fore and naft,; she carries at each end, about seven feet,- below the! water; level, 'aoquyeX' deck,, strongly plated, atid without; any kihfi of aperture. Inside this deck; is a lining of) cork about'four .feet wide,’and of the same thickwhich IS intended to maintain the equilibrium of the vessel, in case either-her bovy or stern 'should' he struck -By : the enemy's fire. Upon’Her deck' of wrought'iron afo two ironclad turrets, one of which,'placed-in her stisra, has four guns, while ! the' other, in the bow of the' vessel, has only one, but that a much larger •gas. /'The Saxe‘also carries' a "spur ten feet long, shaped like a lauceV The vessel is driven by-two four-boiler engines, quite separate from one another; and' each of : 2300 hofse'power. She is '215 feet long- by 50 feet broad and 26A feet deep, and draws 21 feet of water/ 1 Special engines have' been' after‘the most novel and'apprbvbd plans, for steering her, for letting down her: anchor, and for pumping! out water ; "and altogether she is the most powerful of the casemated/ vessels which the German navy possesses. / , v