some extol armoured cruisers, some protected; others are in favour of torpedo-boats and submarines." Now these differences of opinion exist more in the imagination of the Press than in the Navy itself. When I decided to submit to the Government the present programme, I did what every Minister of Marine ought to do, I placed myself in communication, not only with our most distinguished admirals, men whose opinions carry the greatest weight, but also with certain of the younger officers who consider that their seniors are not sufficiently advanced in their ideas. From all quarters I found that so far from there being this divergence of opinion, of which we hear so much in the Press, there was, on the contrary, a unanimous opinion in favour of all classes of ships. And it is only natural that there should be such unanimity. Our programme is not the result of the caprice of any one officer or officers, but has been drawn up from the actual experiences obtained at sea. "There are but two important weapons in the Navy: the torpedo for short ranges, and the gun, whose power is increasing daily, for long. Two classes of ships are, therefore, essential battle-ships and armoured cruisers in the first place; secondly, torpedovessels, including torpedo-boats, destroyers, submarine and submersible boats. In order that the action of the gun may be as effective as possible, it is necessary that the stability of the ship should ensure a steady platform, as far as may be, under all conditions of the sea, and this in its turn necessitates that the ship should be of a certain size, which means increased cost. With a large ship you can mount a numerous and powerful artillery, but the ship and her armament have in their turn to be protected by strong armour. This, however, in these days is not sufficient, a high rate of speed with a corresponding radius of action are also required, this last property being essential, if the ships are not to be continually returning to port to replenish their coal supplies. There is a limit, however, to the size of ships, as the depth of harbours and the accommodation of the dockyards have to be taken into consideration, and it would seem that the maximum convenient displacement for ships is about 15,000 tons. It is within the limits of this maximum that we have to move, when we wish to develop such and such special qualities in a ship. We have then to create two types, one the battle-ship, all-powerful for offence and defence, the other the cruiser, with the qualities of high speed and extended radius of action. The armament of battle-ships to-day consists in the main of four 30-centimetre (12-inch) heavy guns and from fifteen to eighteen 152-centimetre (6-inch) Q.F. guns; the armour protection of the belt is now about the same thickness as the calibre of the heavy guns carried, and the thickness of the armour for the casemates of the secondary armament is calculated in the same way. It is to meet these conditions that we, on behalf of the Navy, are now seeking authorisation for the battle-ships of 14,800 tons which appear on the Estimates, and which in offensive and defensive powers speed and radius of action, will be equal to the ships of other nations. The ironclad will, therefore, be the most powerful instrument of both offensive and defensive warfare. How will it accomplish its task? In the first place, by engaging battle with the enemy's ironclads in the open sea, keeping them at a distance from the coast. But it is not only in fighting great naval battles that ironclads are useful. If it should be desirable to carry war into the enemy's territory, blockade its arsenals, bombard its forts, and land troops, ironclads are necessary, as they alone are capable of attacking fortifications and of protecting troops while landing or re-embarking. That is not all. If, in the case of war, communications are to be kept between France and Algeria, and Tunis, the sea route must be guarded, or the transports escorted. The squadrons employed in such a service must be composed of ironclads, as the troops must not be exposed to annihilation by a squadron of the enemy. "In the opinion of some people it would be wiser to substitute a war against commerce for a war of fleets; but a war against commerce could not be carried on with any chance of success without squadrons of battle-ships. The question had been carefully considered by the Superior Council of the Navy and by other eminent authorities, and they had all arrived at the same conclusion. Allowing that they had in their harbours a large number of cruisers ready to launch against the enemy's commerce, if the harbour was blockaded by a strong force of the enemy's battle-ships, how would they get out? But supposing that they got safely to sea and captured many prizes, what then? Were they to destroy all their prizes? That would quickly entail terrible reprisals; and if not, how were they to get them safely into harbour, or even to get back into harbour themselves, when they want to replenish stores, refill with coal, etc.? It is quite possible that fast cruisers may break the blockade and escape, but they will find it much more difficult to return. If our cruisers are to be able to leave and return safely to our harbours, they can only do so under the protection of our battle-ships. This is not the view only of old officers, but of our most capable admirals and captains, and that is why we are asking for the new large battle-ships, which appear in our programme. "Certain members consider that we are building too many battle-ships and not enough cruisers. But is that the case? We require four squadrons of six battle-ships each, with four more for a reserve, making a total of twenty-eight. At the present time we have twenty-two, which are effective, and we are asking for the six additional ones to make up the twenty-eight. Later on we shall have to replace in turn the older ships; but accepting fully the responsibility for my statement, I maintain that it will not be necessary for us to exceed the number of squadrons or battle-ships I have mentioned." The Minister then drew attention to the difficulty experienced in getting a sufficient number of skilled mechanics, especially for the engine-room department, and also pointed out that difficulty was experienced in getting stoker recruits, a difficulty, he said, which other Navies were also finding. Particularly was this the case with England, and it was certain that before long she would not be able to man all the new ships she was building. It was better, therefore, to limit the number of units, while devoting all possible attention to making them perfect engines of war, and to the high technical training of their crews. Passing on, then, to the question of the respective values of French and foreign battle-ships and cruisers, M. de Lanessan drew favourable comparisons between the designs of the new French ships and the new English and German battle-ships and armoured cruisers, maintaining that the French ships were better protected and carried a more numerous and more powerful artillery, and will be of a more formidable type than any ships now building for any foreign Powers. Both England and Germany had sacrificed thickness of armour in the hope of attaining higher speed. Dealing with the transformation which hal taken place in the building of cruisers, he pointed out that France was the first naval Power to construct armoured cruisers, and she had maintained a considerable advance over other Powers in building that type. The Minister of Marine then proceeded to defend the construction of more torpedo-boats, and also of submarine and submersible boats, and in conclusion he declared that by the end of 1906 their Fleet would be sufficiently strong to prevent any hostile designs against their coast, and also enable them to maintain their interests abroad, which were often threatened. They would thus realise the idea of all democracies, to live at peace with their neighbours, but to do this, he repeated, they must be strong. M. Lockroy, the predecessor of M. de Lanessan at the Ministry of Marine, and who has long established a reputation as a careful student of naval matters, in an eloquent speech regretted that France was the country at present where naval questions attracted no interest among the general public. He considered that the transfer of the marine troops to the Ministry of War was a blunder, and drew attention to the extraordinary delay in the completion of the "Henri IV." and "Jeanne d'Arc," as well as of the torpe lo-boats building in the Government yards. On the subject of the new building programme, M. Lockroy, in view of past delays, expressed grave doubts whether the new ships would be finished by 1996; he was afraid that, unless radical steps were taken to improve the system of shipbuilding, 1909 or even 1910 was more likely to be the date. He called attention to the fact that Germany was spending considerably more on her Navy than France was, and was making great efforts to take rank as the second naval Power in Europe. With regard to the naval schools, he would like to see a return to the system which he had himself inaugurated, by which they were partially installed on sea-going battle-ships and cruisers. He strongly advocated the concentration of the battle-ships at Toulon and Bizerta, and of the cruisers at Brest; and he deprecated any diminution of the powers of the maritime prefects, which, in his opinion, would be a misfortune for the country; and he concluded with a moving peroration pointing out the high rôle in the destinies of the country which the Navy was called on to play. Vice-Admiral Rieunier, also an ex-Minister of Marine, who followed M. Lockroy. associated himself with much that that critic had said, and he further drew attention to the great increase in red tape and paper work which caused great delay in carrying out necessary work: he advocated an increase of one-fifth in the personnel of the fleet. which was at present insufficient for the needs of the Navy even in a time of peace; and he further thought a considerable increase in the reserves of coal absolutely indispensable. The text of the most important articles of the projet de loi relative to the augmentation of the fleet is as follows: Article 1.-The Minister of Marine is authorised to construct in the dockyards and by private contract new vessels to the amount of 526,836,000 francs (£21,073,440), viz., 6 first-class battle-ships of 14,865 tons; 5 armoured cruisers of 12,600 tons; 28 destroyers of 250 tons (about). Torpedo-boats, submarine and submergible boats, the number of which is not yet fixed, at a total cost of 118,300,000 francs (£4,732,000). Article 2. The credits for new constructions authorised by the Budget of 1900 and by the present law amounting to 762,212,000 francs (£30,488,480) are to be expended before 1st January, 1907. M. Fleury-Ravarin, the reporter of the Estimates to the Chamber, lays stress on the fact that henceforth the torpedo-boats of the mobile defence would be able to defend on four classes of stations -1. The administrative and strategic centres of mobile defence, where the boats will find under all circumstances a sure refuge with all the means required for repairs and reprovisioning, and with accommodation for the personnel. 2. Stations which will have permanently neither torpedo-boats nor personnel, but which will have resources similar to those of No. 1, though on a smaller scale. 3. Stations of refuge with means to recharge the torpedoes, to effect quickly small repairs, and to furnish fresh supplies of water, coal, and provisions. 4. Stations to be used as a temporary refuge only, and having some supplies of water, coal, and provisions. The full programme of mobile defence allows for the utilisation of 238 torpedo-boats, which include those already either built or building, and of 29 destroyers, each of which serves as the leading boat of a flotilla.-Journal Officiel de la République Française and Rapport fait par M. Fleury-Ravarin du Projet de Loi portant fixation du Budget Général de l' Exercice 1901 (Ministére de la Marine). ITALY. The following appointments have been lately made :--Vice-Admirals-G. B. Magnaghi to command of First Maritime Department (Spezia); F. N. Canevaro to command of Third Maritime Department (Venice); G. Palumbo to command of Second Maritime Department (Naples): L. Serra to command at Maddalena G. Gonzalez del Castiglio to be Vice-President of the Superior Council of the Navy. Rear-Admiral-C. Candiani to command of Cruising Division. The home fleet, which formerly constituted two squadrons, the Active and Reserve, and has for the last two years been organised as one and styled the Mediterranean Fleet, under the supreme command of Admiral H.R.H. the Duke of Genoa, is at present composed as follows:-- First-class-battle-ships-" Lepanto" (flag-ship of commander-in-chief), "Sardegna" The torpedo-flotilla, under the command of Rear-Admiral Reynaudi, is at the disposal of the commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, but the divisions are distributed as follows:- Genoa-Nos. 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. Spezia.-Nos. 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111. Gaëta-Nos. 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123. Taranto.-Nos. 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 131, 152, 153. Cirita- Vecchia, Aquila," "Falco," Nibbio," "Sparviero," Avvoltoio," Condore," Pellicano," Nos. 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 88. 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99. Venice. Nos, 76, 77, 78, 79. Cruising Squadron. First-class armoured cruiser. "Vettor Pisani" (flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Candiani). Second-class torpedo-cruisers--" Fieramosca," "Stromboli," " Vesuvio," " Dogali," "Elba," "Calabria." This squadron is at present in China. In the Red Sea. Corvette-cruiser-" Cristoforo-Colombo.” First-class gun-boats—" Volturno,” » Provana." In the Lerant. First-class despatch-vessel Archimede."-Gazzetta Ufficiale. It is, however, now stated that during the coming summer the old organisation of an Active and Reserve Squadron will be reverted to, and that the fleet will be reorganised. It has been decided to send an Italian squadron to Nice in April, on the occasion of the visit of the French President to the town, as the visit made by the French squadron to Cagliari last year to salute the Italian Sovereign has not yet been returned. New Ships.-For the last two years the building of new battle-ships has practically been at a standstill, due to grave differences of opinion, which existed at the Ministry of Marine itself as to the best type of ship to lay down, and also to the difficulties experienced in getting the necessary funds from Parliament. These difficulties are believed now to have been surmounted. Last June it was practically decided to lay down four ships of a medium type between battle-ships and armoured cruisers; these new vessels were to be 442 feet long, with a beam of 62 feet 8 inches, and a displacement of 8,500 tons, while the engines were to give a speed of 20 knots; protection being afforded by a 6-inch water-line belt and a 2-inch armoured deck; the armament consisting of twelve 8-inch and eight 3-inch Q.F. guns. These ships were to have been named the "Genova,” » Pisa," "Venezia," and "Amalfi"; none of these, however, had been commenced. The ships in question are, however, now not to be built; the Minister of Marine, acting under the advice of the Superior Council of the Navy (Consiglio superiore di Marina) has decided that the design of the ships is faulty, as it is impossible on so small a displacement to give a vessel the necessary offensive or defensive powers. It has, therefore, now been decided, subject to the approval of the King, that three new first-class battle-ships, to be called the "Vittorio Emanuele," "Regina Elena,” and "Roma," are to be laid down at Spezia, Castellamare, and Venice respectively. Their principal dimensions are to be as follows:-Length, 433 feet; beam, 72 feet; draught of water, 28 feet, with a displacement of 12,600 tons. The engines are to develop 20,000-I.H.P., giving a speed of from 21 to 22 knots; the coal stowage capacity is to be 2,000 tons, which will give a radius of action of 10,000 miles at a speed of 10 knots. Protection will be afforded by a water-line belt of 10-inch steel; the redoubt and bulkheads will be of 8-inch steel: the turrets for the heavy guns of 8-inch, and the turrets for the secondary armament of 6-inch; the conning-tower of 10-inch, and the armoured deck of two layers of 2-inch steel; all the armour will be hard-faced by the Krupp process. The armament will consist of two 12-inch guns, one in a turret forward and one aft; twelve 79-inch Q.F. guns in turrets on the broadsides, six each side; twelve 3-inch and twelve 6-pounder Q.F. guns, with four broadside torpedodischarges, two above and two below the water-line. It is hoped that the new first-class battle-ship Benedetto Brin" will be ready for launching from the yard at Castellamare during the coming summer; her dimensions are as follows: -Length, 426 feet 6 inches; beam, 78 feet 2 inches; draught of water, 27 feet 4 inches, with a displacement of 13,427 tons. Her engines are to develop 19,000-I.H.P., giving a speed of 20 knots, while her normal coal supply will be 1,000 tons. Protection will be afforded by a water-line belt of 6-inch steel, with 8-inch on the turret, for the 12-inch and 7-9-inch guns, and 6-inch on the casemates for the secondary armament, with a 3-inch armoured deck. The armament will consist of four 12-inch guns, four 7.9-inch Q.F. guns, twelve 6-inch Q.F. guns, sixteen 3-inch Q.F. guns, and twelve boat and machine guns, with four submerged torpedo-tubes. It is hoped that her sister ship the Regina Margherita," building at Spezia, will be launched during the spring. A fast steam collier of 6,000 tons displacement is also to be laid down, but at which yard has not yet been decided. A sum of 24,000,000 lire (£960,000) will be asked for in the Estimates for 1901-02 towards the completion of the "Benedetto Brin," the "Regina Margherita," the first-class armoured cruiser Francesco Ferruccio," some torpedo-boat destroyers, and the proposed collier. Admiral Morin, the Minister of Marine, is fully alive to the necessity of taking steps to bring the fleet up to a proper strength, and the Government share his views, but the difficulty is not to exceed the Budgetary limits; however, it has been decided to ask the Chamber to vote a Supplementary Credit of 32,000,000 lire (£1,280,000). In the Chamber there seems to be a practically unanimous opinion as to the necessity of maintaining the equilibrium of the Budget; although there is a group of members who, considering that the sum demanded is not sufficient to meet the naval needs of the country, are of opinion that a new loan of from 200,000,000 to 300,000,000 lire (£8,000,000 to £12,000,000) should be raised. During the discussion on the Budget in the Chamber, Admiral Accini made a bitter attack on the Minister of Marine, pointing out that, from having held the third rank among European Navies a few years ago, Italy had now fallen to the sixth or seventh rank as a naval Power. The country, he maintained, was running great risks of having their fleet destroyed by surprise; it was a mistake to suppose that every country had an interest in living at peace with Italy, and on counting too much on alliances. Fivesixths of her coasts were vulnerable to an attack from an enemy, to which Italy could only oppose a fleet much reduced in numbers and in an inefficient condition. The Minister of Marine has also brought forward a scheme for spending 389,000,000 lire (£15,560,000) on the Navy, this amount to be spread over twelve years in three periods: From 1901 to 1904 inclusive, 203,000,000 lire (£8,120,000) to complete work now in hand, to construct five battle-ships at a cost of 24,000,000 lire (£960,000) each sixteen destroyers at a cost of 1,200,000 lire (£48,000) each; two auxiliary ships, and the reconstruction of the battle-ships "Italia" and "Lepanto.” From 1905 to 1909, a sum of 139,090,000 lire (£5,580,000) will be expended on five more battle-ships; two auxiliary ships; the commencement of a sixth battle-ship and eleven torpedo-boats to replace others worn out. Lastly, from 1910 to 1912 a sum of 77,000,000 lire (£3,080,000) will be expended in replacing obsolete ships, two of which will be battle-ships. Steam Trials.—The second-class battle-ship "Ammiraglio di St. Bon," built at the Royal Dockyard, Venice, and engined by the firm of Ansaldo & Co., of Leghorn, has commenced her steam trials off Spezia. At a recent trial, with the engines developing 9,919-I.II.P., out of a possible 13,000-I.H.P., making 935 revolutions, a mean speed of something over 17 knots was maintained; the pressure on the boilers was 134 lbs. ; the |