Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 06.djvu/461

NAVY was done to strengthen the navy until 1881. Germany, Italy, and Japan, developed their naval power, and in 1880 Germany stood second. Italy after the war of 1866 had risen to second place, but dropped to third in 1880. The Japanese navy began with the purchase of the Confederate ram "Stonewall" in 1866. Turkey reorganized her navy in 1863, and it had reached its highest power at the time of the war with Russia 1877-1878, but declined from that period. The decade between 1880 and 1890 was marked by a general expansion of the navies of the world. In 1889 Great Britain passed the Naval Defense Act which provided a program for 70 vessels, 10 of the 1st class. In 1882 the United States began the building of a new navy, and, with Germany, had nearly passed France in naval power before the close of the decade. Great Britain in this period adopted the policy of maintaining a navy that should equal those of any two other nations combined. Spain ordered her first battleship in 1882, Japan 2 battleships in 1893, and commenced building naval vessels on an extensive scale. Austria built her first battleship in 1899, and the Argentine Republic ordered her first cruisers in 1895. After the South African War the United States made large appropriations for the navy program, and gained the second place, but was passed by Germany in 1910. Japan rose to the fifth place after her defeat of Russia.



In July 1, 1915, the chief naval powers had built, or were building, the following war vessels: United States—10 battleships of dreadnought types, 20 older battleships, 4 coast-defense vessels, 15 armored cruisers, 3 fast cruisers and scouts, 8 other cruisers, 51 destroyers, 19 torpedo boats, 39 submarines; total tonnage built, 776,460. Vessels building: 9 battleships of dreadnought type, 17 destroyers, and 20 submarines; net tonnage, 296,380.

Great Britain—28 battleships, dreadnought type, 35 older vessels, 10 battle-cruisers, 3 coast defense vessels, 29 armored cruisers, 40 fast cruisers and scouts, 33 other cruisers, 185 destroyers, 49 torpedo boats and 90 submarines; total tonnage built, 2,310,957. Building: 9 battleships, dreadnought type, 8 fast cruisers, 25 destroyers, and 40 submarines; total tonnage, 361,300.



Germany—17 battleships of dreadnought type, 21 older battleships, 5 battleship cruisers, 1 commerce destroyer, 4 armored cruisers, 14 fast cruisers, 15 other cruisers, 139 destroyers, and 30 submarines; total tonnage 1,024,673. Building: 3 battleships of dreadnought type, 2 battleship cruisers, 6 fast cruisers, 15 destroyers, and 30 submarines; total tonnage, 208,416.

France—10 battleships of dreadnought type, 10 others, 2 fast cruisers, 17 armored cruisers, 8 others, 87 destroyers, 132 torpedo boats, and 76 submarines; total tonnage built, 662,302. Building: 12 first-class battleships, 3 fast cruisers,