It was evidently not a comfortable thought to people at home that the Russian force alone should be as large as the British, the Russian and French together being very much larger, and a serious attempt has been made to ex~ plain this away. The Times of the 9th of April has an article "from an occasional correspondent " written with this intention, in which there is a perfectly gratuitous sueer at "the absurd accounts in circulation as to the number and strength of the Russian fleet in those distant waters." The writer Notwithstanding an official assurance to the effect that the comparative naval strength of this country in the East is such as to give no cause for uneasiness, 'a doubt still appears to prevail on the subject. In some quarters, indeed, so much is the position misnpprehended that a demand has been made to increase the force under the command of Vice-Admiral Buller. This erroneous view has been taken, in all probability, owing to a too ready acceptance of the absurd accounts in circulation us to the number and strength of the Russian fleet in those distant waters. The Kussian squadron has, indeed, been considerably augmented during the last few months, but even: with the additions thus made it is not.the equal of our own squadron, the second in importance which we maintain abroad, In order to demonstrate that this is the case, a naval officer on the China station has drawn up the following tabulated comparison of the ships of the two Powers, with their dimensions and principal characteristics."
The tabulated statement which follows gives the total Russian tonnage at 54,839 tons, and the British at 64,887 tons. 'The Russian tonnage is arrived at by omitting the Nayeskdnik and Rynda, which have left the station since our article was published. We must, of course, accept the statement that the Times' list was drawn up by "a naval officer on the China station," but it is curious that he should include the Razboynik, which does not appear to be on the station, and exclude the Zabiaka which certainly is out here. It is curious, too, that in the British list the Redbreast is included, which is not on this station at all. The British list is augmented by the inclusion of the Jmmortalité and Narcissus, which have replaced the Caroline and Mercury since our list was compiled, In fact, the lists published in the Times themselves show that our statement was perfectly accurate at the time it was drawn up, except that the Rurik had been erroneously described as having reached Singapore at that time, whereas she was only on the way. That we have a° preponderance now over the Russian squadron is quite true; but our squadron is considerably inferior in tonnage—if notin fightingpower—tothe French and Russian squadrons combined.
he following is the summary drawn up by the correspondent of the Times: fein (ota {isisge British. Russian.
jumpers.... tol lo 4 13 for lo Boats No ata Tonnage s. 64887 54,839 Average speed,
Torpedo tubes 43 38 Guns 445 350 knots. 151 148
No mention is made herein of the fast ships of the Russian Volunteer Fleet, which can be immediately converted into cruisers in case of need, and which, while they cannot be classed strictly as fighting ships, would draw off the services of some of our fighting ships to watch them, should war break out here.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.