Mr. Goschen brought forward the Naval Estimates on Monday in
a speech which elicited warm approval. Its drift was that for our £10,000,000 a year we now maintain a sufficient ironclad fleet to defend our shores and protect our foreign dependencies, but that we need great ironclad monitors able to act either defensively- or offensively in shallow water. Four of these vessels, therefore, are to be built, the construction of broadside ironclads being. delayed for them. This delay irritates Sir S. Robinson, but Mr- Goschen pronounces that in this direction we need only two new rams. In gunboats we are deficient, but eight are ordered, and in, guns we are splendidly strong. The Navy wants but 1,876 and we have 1,901, and by the end of the year 12 of these will be of 35 tons (the 600-pounders), 9 of 25 tons, 44 of 18 tons, 151 of 12 tons, 131 of 9 tons, and 566 of si tons, say 72-pounders. We say these guns will be ready by the end of the year, but except 5. in the first class, 2 in the second class, and 12 in the third class, the guns are already in store. Mr. Goschen read most satisfactory passages from a scientific report on the stability of our great iron- dads, and concluded by an earnest description of the value of sympathy between the Service and the House,—a point too often forgotten. If the House of Commons is to be Bing, the House must attract loyalty from the Services.
Previous page
