FRENCH AND RUSSIAN FLEETS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 14, 18 January 1915, Page 4

FRENCH AND RUSSIAN FLEETS.

In our anxiety regarding the comparative Dreadnought strength of Britain and Germany, we are liable to overlook altogether a very important factor, and that is the addition to the French and Russian lleets of ten great ships. In the Coubert, Jean Bart, France and Far is, now with the fleet, France has four Dreadnoughts, each mounting twelve 12-inch guns, twenty-two 5.5-inch guns, which are equal to any of the 12-inch gun-ships of the German navy. The Provence and Bretagne are magnificent vessels, each mounting ten 13.4-inch guns and twenty-two 5.5-inch. The last two were to have been delivered last month, and we may be sure in the circumstances that they will be de. livered on time, if not earlier. Franco has ten other super-'Dreadnoughts on the way, which will be joining the fleet at intervals during the next two and a-half years. In the Baltic, Russia in all probability has four Dreadnoughts now with the fleet, the Gangut, Poltaova, Sevastopol,, and the Petropavlovsk, each of 23,000 tons, and mounting twelve 12-inch and sixteen 4.7-inch guns. These boats were due for delivery in August and Oc. tober last, and as British experts are superintending their construction, and possibly British officers and men are standing by to assist the Russians, we can assume their delivery on time, if not earlier.