Our New Navy

It must not be forgotten, eays Ira X. Hollts in the September Atlantic, that our new ellips are designed largely on theory. Their weaknesses have not been developed by war. Thiey are therefore products oí the braiu, and not oí experience. The rebellton gave ua som e useiul lessous in naval warfare under steam and without, sails ; but the improvemetit.3 in armor, guns and machinery since , 1865 have been too great lor any certain appiieation of those les.?ons to present conditions. The battle of Yalu in tlie Japaoi-China var, though a great victory in fleetfighting, teaches us little except to avoid wood and ofcher Inflammable ma.teriials in the decks and bulkheads oí a ship. I'or two or three centuiies during the Bailing period, exI)erience had demonstrated just the kind of casualty the sailor might iook for. He has acquiired by warfare, seamauship, whlch enabled hirn to prepare beíore hand wifch almost mathematical exactaess for emergencies. But our question is, Is modern teamaaiship the same as it was in Xelüon's or even in Farragut'íí time? The answer is alm.oat Beli-evident. It caai not be, for the modern i;hip is a machine, and its casualties eau best be foreseen by men with engineering education. We know by experience that wlien a islüp suffers deteetion, it is beca use a shaít, c ;i boiler, or a valve has given 0-u.t. What wiil happen om a battle-ship in action ? Wiíl a shell jam ciuo of the turrets sa that it cannot. be turned? Will the communicatiou t)etween the bridge and the enginerooms be cut by a Bhot ? WU1 the splttting oí a boiler-tube, a in the steering engine, the bursting of a steam pipe, o-r the füling W b eompartment ronder the ship he'.pleee '.' We do nat knmv. Bvit Ave Üo jaiow that thr shi] $$L the most iieríotít tvnlor. íip fc1 (V(:-y pervo nponils pnranpt ly to i5ie ckll oi the eo-mmamdlng offieer. ViU stand fh besb chaaice ; and we do knaw, beeides, that the crew must be fitted to tbe machinery ii all parte, gans, dynaanos, torpedoes, and engines, are apt to be kepfc in ïhis complete readiness for service, aaid il the effects of casaalty are to be most quiekly minimized. - Atlantic Moathly. _____________