The first place amongst Naval Powers is undoubtedly still held by Great Britain as queen of the seas, however much other nations may try to overhaul her in ships and material. There have certainly been voices heard lately in Parliament anent the alleged standstill—i.e., backsliding, when the race with foreign nations is taken into account—in the naval development of England. The late great Naval Review, however, last August, appeared to disarm all hostile criticism as to the strength and efficiency of the British Fleet. There were at that time, off Portsmouth, several square miles of vessels, altogether 112 fighting-ships. Yet this was but a small portion of England Navy, for the total English Fleet amounts to altogether 763 vessels, as follows:—
| Turreted and belted men-of-war | 37 |
| Ironclad corvettes and cruisers | 80 |
| Sloops and gun-vessels | 40 |
| Gunboats | 102 |
| Torpedo-boats | 120 |
| Torpedo-ships, mine-layers, etc. | 43 |
| Despatch-vessels and survey-ships | 33 |
| Transports, sailing-vessels, and turret-ships | 29 |
| Various, for coast and harbour service | 195 |
| Auxiliary ocean steamers | 23 |
| Total | 702 |
| India | 28 |
| South Africa | 2 |
| Australia | 31 |
| Grand total | 763 |
FRANCE.
France possesses now—
| Men-of-war | 25 |
| Other ironclads | 29 |
| Cruisers | 58 |
| Gunboats and avisos | 82 |
| Gun-sloops (small) | 54 |
| Torpedo-vessels, etc. | 16 |
| Torpedo-boats | 136 |
| Transports and sailing-ships | 72 |
| Coast and harbour service, etc. | 107 |
| Auxiliary ocean steamers | 14 |
| Total | 593 |
Besides over 200 small sailing-vessels and hulks.
RUSSIA.