Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/947

 DEFENCE 591

to coast defence, training, the efficiency of the jyersonnel, &c. ; while the imperial arsenals and dockyards, matters more especially concerninf the maUriel, clothing, victualling, &c., fall to the department of the secretary of state. The ships of the German navy are divided between the Baltic and North Sea stations. The chief naval establishments are at Kiel on the Baltic and Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea, and the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, across the Schleswig-Holstein neck from Kiel to the Elbe, which was opened in the month of June, 1895, facilitates the transference of forces from one base to the other.

In the year 1888-89 a programme was laid down for practically a new fleet, but provision was not made for all the ships, and changes were intro- duced into the programme. At the close of 1897 great attention Avas directed to the proposals of the German Government for a very considerable increase of strength. The Admiralty had arrived at a tactical composition for the fleet Avhich was declared to be final, so that when the new ships had 'been built no others should be laid down, except such as would be required to replace vessels which became obsolete. The strength thus arrived at was as follows— exclusive of torpedo boats, training ships, special service vessels, and gunboats— 17 battleships, the eight armoured coast-defence of the Siegfried class, nine large, and twenty-six small cruisers, Avith the addition of two battleships and three large and four small cruisers as a reserve. The scheme received the sanction of the Reichstag ; the law bears the date of April 10th, 1898. In order that this strength may be attained, seven battle- ships and two large and seven small cruisers must be laid down before the close of 1904-5. For each class of vessel an extreme age has been fixed, at which they will be added to the reserve, and others be laid down in their places. The total expenditure involved by the shipbuilding and other estimates presented is nearly 50,000,000Z. The shipbuilding provision for 1898-99 was 2,953, 500Z. ; that for 1899-1900, under the programme, will be 2,812, OOOZ.

The personnel for 1898-99 consisted of 2 admirals, 2 vice-admirals, 11 rear-admirals, 42 captains, and 77 commanders, and the total number voted were 24,713. The increase of the fleet will involve a progressive expansion of the personnel.

In the folloAving tabular statement of the strength of the German fleet only vessels built, building, and provided for are included. Three other- battleships should be begun in 1899. Old and non-effective vessels and transports are omitted. The 'coast defence ships' are old ironclads and armoured gun-vessels : —

Launched, „ ....

February, 1899. Buildnig.

Battleships, 1st class 6 .... 3

,, 2nd class 4. . ..

,, 3rd class 6. . ..

Coast defence ships 19. . ..

Cruisers, 1st class 2 .... 1

J, 2nd class 8 .... 1

,, 3rd class 10 ... . l

Torpedo gunboats 4 .... 4

Torpedo-craft, lstcla.ss^ 105 .... 8

,, 2nd class 9. . . . —

The table which follows of the German armour-clnd fleet is arranged in a manner similar to that adopted in the case of the British and French navies.

i Including 'division boats.'