CLIPPINGS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1949, 3 January 1885, Page 4

CLIPPINGS.

PKhTT\ Smujt fok Him.— Cousin A lice— " They tell me, Tom, that jou can he heard a, mile off when on duty How ia it you ain't speak above n w liiapei when you talk to me?' Captain Tom (.Mintten, but rather nervous)— " Well— ei— jou nee, I haven't anj authority over you : but ,if you'd q \ i- me the prospect of liming it somi d.iy, I think jou'd find I can ninkt pltnty of row." [Would jou believe it ■ She did! }—J.«hj. Mastkk (examining chs<? in history, and leading question fiom booh) : " Tin King «md Ins .11 my entered the city nn> ! took — Now you, .Jone*, nnswei t'iatqne>tion ' Wh.it did they take ?" Jones : '• Don't Know, sir !" Robertson (Mnall boy .it the foot of tlie il.ki," Please, sii, plmso, su, me, sn '" Master : " Well Kobcitson !' Robuitson : " Lod^irgs." f l'll l,i p»c of master and merriment of boys. Tut Fkkncii Naw.- The official list of the Ficnch navy has just made itappeal anee. According to it, observe^ thu " Times," Fmnce possesses '21 arnU'icd battle ships, 13 armond station ships, 10 nonclad batteries, 14 ironclad vessels foi coait defence, 11 ciuisers with guns m battery, lfl cruisers with guns on decU, '20 " eclaireurs," 14 station avisos. 12 transport avisos, 40 avisos of squadions, '22 station gunboats. 14 gunsloops, and 32 tianspoit vessels of vanous sizes. Thisgiveß a total of 274 vessels, with crews, numbering 17,b"00, .md armed with more than l.") 00 kuiis. Sailing «hips and torpedo boats (of 'vhich latter France ha 1 * about (50) are not included. The " Avenir Mihtaiie " makes the followimj remarks on the state of the French Navy:—" Tin list is divided into two parts — vessels belonging to the normal strength of the navy and reserve ships. The list is again as inexact as in former years A large number of vessels which should be clashed amongst the second category are included in the first." According to a return presented to Pailiiiuient, the English Navy numbered om Tanuaay Ist, 1584.) •283 vessels. Sixty-two of them were aimorcd, of which, again, 28 were in commission, and the remainder in reserve (14 complete, 0 pi i paring, 4 waiting repair, and 7 building or ordered to be bmlt\ The unaimoui ed ships numbered 221. Of these there were in commission 122, in reserve 09 (39 complete, 25 preparing, 21 waiting iep.nr, and 14 building or ordered to be built ) England h.is besides ready for service 74 toiptdo boats, of which 1!) aie tiist class, 48 .second-class, and 7 wooden boats, whilst 4 fiist class torpedo boats vv ere ordered to be built by contract since Janimiy Ist, IhB4.