24th April. Ox the Ist of January, 1896, the British Navy included 29 effective 1st-class battleships, 12 2nd-class, and 11 3rd-class, France having 24 battleships; in all, Russia 18, and Germany 16 thus we bad 10 more battleships than France and -Russia~ combined. Of cruisers we had 142, of which 18 are armoured, 85 protected, 36 part-protected, and 3 unprotected, France having 74 cruisers in all, Russia 35, and Germany 26; thus we had 33 more cruisers than France and Russia combined. Of coast defence vessels we had 58, comprising 5 sea-going vessels, 11 ironclads, and 42 armoured gunboats, France had 40 coast defence vessels, Russia 41, and Germany 21, so that in this class we were 28 behind France and Russia combined. But as we do not expect to have to defend oar coasts except against the attacks of isolated vessels that may have escaped the watchfulness of our fleets, this is not a serious disparity. In gun vessels and torpedo-boat destroyers we ave, well ahead; of the former we had 41, France 16, Russia 10, and Germany while of the new class of torpedo-boat. destroyers we had 62, France 1, Russia 21, and Germany 10. In torpedo boats of all kinds we were very much behind, the figures being Grent Britain 188, France 247, Russia 198, and Germany 174. At this disparity we need not be auch concerned, as our naval authorities have for some time come to the conclusion that the value of torpedo-boats has been very much over-estimated, and the modern torpedo-boat destroyer with a speed of 30 or more Jand miles an hour has rendered them practically useless. As Admiral Colomb writes: "'I'bey are to be the inshore squadron,' in closest touch with the etiemy in his ports. They are the threat to the outcoming torpedo-bent, by reason of the immensely greater speed and stronger gun-armament, Their lighter draught of water enables them to go close in shore at night; and their torpedoes are a threat to outcoming battleships or cruisers of the enemy."
Powerful as our navy is thus shown to be, the Government decided Jast November that it was not strong enough, considering the enormous extent of the interests that it has to protect, and the indisposition in England to contract formal alliances with other Powers, "Friendly with all, bound to none," is the key-note of our foreign policy, and we ensure our position by keeping only a sun all standing army with an irresistible navy. By keeping up a strong navy we' threaten no one; great standing armies are a much more insistent menace than big fleets; a pack of wolves causes much more anxiety: to a flock of sheep than a school of whales. Mr. Goschei's proposal for the increase of our navy includes 5 battleships, 4 Ist-class, 8 2nd-class, and 6 Brd-class cruisers, and 28 torpedo-boat destroyers,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.