naval administration must depend mainly on the policy pursued by the French Government. In ships actually ready for sea, our ironclad fleet compares favourably with the French, but this will cease. to be the case if armoured shipbuilding in France is continued with the activity displayed since the close of the Franco-German war. Since 1877, the total armoured tonnage launched has been 29,171 tons for the French, and 21,704 tons for the British Navy; and while our Navy estimates provide 750,000l. for armoured construction, the sum provided for the same service in the French estimates is no less than 1,081,000l.

'It is obvious that this disparity cannot long continue. From an English point of view it seems impossible to justify the lavish expenditure of the French; and I would venture to hope that the friendly representations of our Foreign Office would not be without effect in relieving us from the necessity of imposing additional burdens on the British taxpayers.'

The French made no further addition to their rate of expenditure on ironclads. On our side the expenditure was increased in the proportions already detailed; and thus we maintained a position which enabled us subsequently to draw comparisons between our armoured navy and that of France and other Powers, establishing a superiority of force not inadequate to the necessities of our vast empire.

Having dealt with the quantity of armoured building as indicated by the appropriation of money for that purpose, we may turn to the question of type. The policy of the late Board with reference to dimensions will be generally approved. Both professional and nonprofessional opinion is opposed to the construction of vessels of war on the scale adopted, for example, in the Italian Navy. Without laying down any arbitrary figure, it is generally admitted that within the limit of from 10,000 to 11,000 tons all reasonable requirements can be met. In considering this question of dimensions our policy must be governed by one important consideration. However large the sum of money at our disposal, as we increase in size and cost so we cut down in number; and while the larger ship may have an advantage in thickness of armour, ships of moderate size will have an advantage in the great quality of quick obedience to the helm, and therefore in power of attack with the ram and torpedo.

The armoured ships laid down by the late Board are of five types, represented by the 'Impérieuse,' the 'Admiral' class, the Hero,' an exact repetition of the Conqueror,' the Sanspareil' and 'Renown,' which may be described as improved Conquerors,' and the five belted cruisers. The principal dimensions of the Impérieuse' are, length 315 feet, breadth 61 feet, tonnage 7,300. The speed at the measured mile is 17 knots. The Impérieuse' carries four 18-ton breechloading guns, and a powerful minor armament. As compared

with the 'Admiral' class, the disposition of the belt and deck armour is similar, but the thickness is reduced from eighteen to ten inches. The belt in each case extends along more than two-fifths of the length. It protects the machinery and the magazines, and assists in securing the stability and the buoyancy. The armour of the barbette towers in which the heavy guns are mounted protects the loading machinery, and the gun's crews are screened from horizontal fire. The absence of a complete belt round the water-line has been criticised. Protection by thin vertical armour is inferior to the under-water deck and compartments into which the unarmoured ends of the Warspite' are subdivided. The French constructors, with all their traditional skill and ingenuity, in the endeavour to protect their ships by a continuous belt, have been compelled to accept armour too thin to afford an effective protection.

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The type of ironclad represented by the 'Impérieuse' was the first new design originated under the late administration. The designs for the Admiral' class were considerably advanced under the administration of Mr. W. H. Smith. The Colossus,' Edinburgh,' and the 'Admiral' class are built on nearly the same lines. These ships have an extreme breadth of 68 feet, as compared with 66 feet in the Ajax.' The length has been extended from 280 to 325 feet. With this more favourable proportion of length to breadth, an additional speed of nearly two knots has been obtained without increasing the horse-power. In the Admiral' class an important change was introduced in the disposition of the armour. In the Colossus' it forms the wall of the citadel. In the Collingwood' it is taken away from the central citadel, and formed into separate fixed barbette towers. The towers are placed 140 feet apart, and the guns 22 feet above the water. The inclosed turrets of the 6 Colossus are 80 feet apart, and the guns are twelve feet above the water. The minor armament forms an important and novel feature in the 'Admiral' class. Between the barbettes and above the true upper deck is a large unarmoured battery, protected by 1-inch steel plating from the fire of machine-guns, and containing six 6-inch breechloading guns, fought at ports 14 feet above the water. The battery is protected from a raking fire by winged bulkheads plated with six inches of steel-faced armour. In this respect the Collingwood's' battery resembles the batteries of the Nelson' and the Shannon.' The crew will be berthed in the upper battery, and will have accommodation infinitely superior to that of any turret-ship. The deck above the upper battery affords ample space for the stowage of boats and for working the ship.

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The advantages presented by the Admiral' type will be best appreciated whenever squadrons are compelled to keep the seas for extended periods. Ships with a low freeboard are too much under

water to be reasonably habitable. This disadvantage was brought prominently into view during the cruise of the evolutionary squadron. Steaming to the westward from Berehaven on a summer's night, the fore-deck of the 'Devastation' was swept by sheets of foam, while the upper decks of the broadside ships were towering high above the waves. That a turret-ship of low freeboard is the most powerful type for battle will not be disputed, but life on board in a long cruise would be wretched.

In the Admiral' class, as in the Inflexible,'' Ajax,'' Agamemnon,' Colossus,' Edinburgh,' and new armoured cruisers, the belt armour stops short at the ends, and the protection of vitals is continued by an under-water deck. In the Admiral' type steel-faced deck-plating is for the first time introduced, and the length of the belt is extended from 123 feet, as in the Colossus,' to 140 feet. The weights of armour, including deck armour, are—

The heavy guns of the 'Admiral' class are mounted en barbette. Various plans were proposed for inclosed turrets. The additional expense involved ranged from 40,000l. to 100,000l., and considerable delay would have resulted from any material alterations. The improvements anticipated did not appear to be sufficient to justify the loss of time and the heavy outlay. The introduction of barbettes into our Navy when first proposed led to anxious discussion. It was considered that the additional weight required for the armoured citadel, which is indispensable for the protection of the base of the turret, could be better used in increasing the speed and the coal endurance, and in mounting a greater number of heavy and auxiliary guns. Turret-guns cannot be mounted as high above the water as guns en barbette.

The ironclads of earlier design will not require detailed description. The speed of 15 knots attained in the trials of the 'Conqueror' was most satisfactory. The Conqueror' is a valuable addition to the Navy, being well armed and armoured, an effective and handy ram, and a thorough sea-going ship. With their superior manoeuvring qualities, such vessels must be formidable in battle, and they will always be required for the general duties of the fleet. The 'Hero,' a repetition of the Conqueror,' was laid down in 1883, and has recently been launched. The rapid progress of this vessel does credit to Mr. Warren and the professional officers and workmen at Chatham yard.

In April 1885 two improved Conquerors' were put out to contract.

TheSanspareil' and Renown' will have a displacement of just over 10,000 tons. The armour will have a thickness of 18 inches, and the framing behind the armour will be stronger than any hitherto employed. They will carry in a single turret two 110-ton guns, the most powerful yet manufactured. An 18-ton gun will be mounted right aft. Twelve 4-ton guns will be carried in the battery protected with armour, proof not only against all machine-guns, but also against the new 6-pounder shell-guns. The estimated speed is 15 knots.

The belted cruisers formed the most novel and important feature in the extended programme of building commenced under the late Board in the present financial year. The belted cruiser is a ship of about 5,000 tons displacement, and 3,000 tons weight of hull, including 1,000 tons of armour. The water-line being protected by 10-inch. armour, or a belt deck from end to end, and the conning tower being strongly armoured, the belted cruiser may fairly be reckoned with many ironclads in foreign navies. The guns will be two of 18 tons and twelve of 4 tons, with machine-guns. The estimated speed is 17.5 knots. The coal supply will be sufficient for 2,000 knots at full speed, and 8,000 knots at 10 knots. We might have produced a ship with higher speed, but only by sacrificing protection or increasing dimensions. Five of this type were ordered by contract in April 1885.

During the administration of the late Board of Admiralty, a difficult question was raised by Sir Edward Reed. For the defence of the water-line he asked for a greater length of armoured belt. Sir Nathaniel Barnaby preferred a system of protection by cellular subdivision. These eminent authorities are at issue-not on a point of principle, but as to the extent to which an accepted principle should be applied. While the arguments in favour of the design adopted in the case of the Collingwood,' and other ships of the 'Admiral' class, are powerful and cogent, we may expect to see an extension of the belt in any new ships which may be laid down in the future.

The trials of our recent ships at the measured mile have been eminently satisfactory. The speed has never yet been approached by that of any armoured ships. Their gunnery arrangements, for which we are indebted to Mr. Rendel, are entirely successful. The French have not produced as yet any ironclad ships with speeds exceeding 15 knots. Our six first-class battle-ships of the Admiral ’ type steam more than 16 knots at the measured mile. The powerful cruisers Impérieuse' and 'Warspite' may be reckoned as 17-knot ships under the same favourable conditions; and they again will be surpassed by the five belted cruisers, which on their trials will be nearly 18-knot vessels.

Having accelerated greatly the armoured construction, the late VOL. XIX.-No. 107.

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Board in the earlier years of their administration did not feel justified in pressing for a similar increase of expenditure on the unarmoured ships. In the estimates of the present year, the expenditure proposed for unarmoured building was advanced to 1,431,000l., or nearly double the average of the eight preceding years. Commencing their task under the conviction that in point of expenditure they must be content to work within the limits accepted by their predecessors, their attention was concentrated on improvement of type. In cruisers high qualities of speed and coal endurance are indispensable. In these important points the British Navy was sensibly inferior to the French. In 1880, of ships capable of steaming 14 knots we possessed only eleven; the French had twenty-five.

In the period 1868-84 twenty-six cruisers were launched for the British Navy ranging in dimensions from 1,860 to 2,380 tons. Of this large fleet two only, the Cleopatra' and 'Comus,' attained the speed of 14 knots on the measured mile. In the same period the French launched eight cruisers of a similar class; but the measured mile speed in all cases was a knot in excess of the English results. The want of speed in the British Navy was due to the attempt to combine the qualities of a sailing ship and a steamer with a heavy weight of metal. An unsatisfactory compromise was the inevitable result. The continued construction of gun-vessels without speed has given us a large number of craft of little value except to show the flag. On distant stations, where the Navy should at all times be in a position to give protection to commerce, we have numerous vessels in commission with a speed ranging from 9 to 11 knots on the measured mile, and with a coal endurance at full speed of from two to two and a half days.

A new and a better policy in unarmoured construction was adopted by the Admiralty of 1874-80. They began by building the two despatch vessels 'Mercury' and 'Iris' with a speed not approached up to that date in any naval service. In the 'Mercury' and the 'Iris' the speed was obtained by an enormous development of horse-power. The defensive arrangements were but little superior to those of a cruiser from the mercantile marine. The cost per ton was equal to that of the most powerful ironclad, while the fighting power was inconsiderable. As a fighting ship, the most appropriate function of the 'Mercury' would be that of a torpedo-boat catcher. It was in this service that the ship was employed in the experimental squadron under Admiral Hornby. The 'Polyphemus' was another bold experiment in the class of ocean-going torpedo-boats. The 'Leander' also was the forerunner of a new and valuable type which we owe to the same administration.

The late Board were deeply impressed with the necessity for developing the construction of vessels of the 'Leander' and 'Polyphemus types. They cut down top hamper, and took advantage of the recent