Following the example of Great Britai other nations lave begun war-ship con struction in "programmes." France has started on her 1901 list _of six battleships, five cruisers, twenty-eight T.-B.D,'s, anda number of submarines, It is interesting to note that in France, as elsewhere, size has carried the day, and the new battleships are to be bigger than anything France has built hitherto, We recently' wrote on the progress that has been made in submarine Wivigatiop, and there is as yet nothing new to add of any importance." France is giving much attention to her Mediterranean bases, But by far the most important naval advance is being made by Germany, who has set herself. the task of constructing a navy, whose strength shall be ' two double squadrons, each consisting of a flagship and of two squadrons severally of eight battleships, eight large and_ twenty-four small cruisers for service with the fleets three large and ten small cruisers for service on foreign stations; and a reserve of four battleships and three Jarge and four small cruisers." Very interesting are, the speculations as to the use of this vast force, TateMst in it is kept up at home by means of a German Navy League, as successful and enthusiastic as its prototype in England.
Russia continues steadily building and adding to her naval strength. The most noticeable thing.as to its distribution at the moment is the unusually great proper: tion of itin Far Kastern waters. Financial and other difficulties have retarded the advance of Italian navalstrongth, which no longer holds the prominent place it did a few years ago.
The 1901 programme of the United States contains nothing very startling, Two battleships and two armoured cruisers of 14,000 tons each are to be laid down, but a proposal to build additional submarines was rejected.
every possible way. She has now six Sapan ie perfecting her naval force in battleships of the very first class, the Fuji, Yashina, Asahi, Hatsuse, Shikishima, and Mikasa, vessels which it is doubtful if any other power, even England, could equal. She has no second-class battleships, but the old Chin Yen still remains. Of first-class cruisers she has half-dozen, also very fine vessels: the Asama, Tokiwa, Azama, Yakumu, Idznne, and Iwate, She has on second-class cruisers, and six third. Altogether, her war lect built and consists of Uhirty-two vessels, exclusive of torpedo-boats and destroyers, Every naval power gives. the loeb more exs of annual exercise in the form of naval manceuvres. - Tus objected to these that they frequently are made almost farcical by the wide difference between the conditions under which are they held and those which would actu lly obtain in time of war. Still, valuable lessons were learnt feom the British autumn manceuvres last r, notwithstanding the comparative failure to carry out the expected operations. The valve of homogeneity in Hleety was shown, and the practical i ity of satisfactory work where ships lack it was proved to demonstration. Fleet collins were shown to be indispensable, Doubt was thrown on the value of torp: do-boats at sea, and even of destroyers, except under favourable conditions. It was proved that superior tactics may, as of old, win against superior strength, and experience showed that two hostile fleets may pass each other the nigh: at three miles' distance without either of them knowing it The *'Annual" zoos, as was to be expected, into the details of "Boiler Eticieney" and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.