Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the public for several reasons. That's quite a pity while these books contains useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor accessible. In this specific magazine was an article titled “The National Defence Madness” published in which the British navy was compared with several other navies and the results were presented in the British Parliament.
P. 362: “With regard to the French navy, we find that it consisted ships old and new, great and small, and on the stocks in January, 1851, of 328 vessels, including steamers. Of this fleet, 40 were ranked as ships of the line, 10 of which were of the first class, 10 of the second, 15 of the third, and 5 of the fourth class. There are 50 frigates that is to say, 15 of the first class, or equal to British frigates of 42 to 50 guns; 20 of the second class, and 15 of the third class; 4 corvettes, or sloops of war; 50 brigs, 30 of the first class and 20 of the second; 30 vessels, including gun-brigs, schooners and tenders; and 1G transport-ships, averaging from 300 to 600 tons. Besides which, there are 102 steamers afloat and building in the slips. These include 50 packets, the largest of which are of 200 horse power, 30 of which are from 160 to 200 horse power, and 20 of 120 horse power and under. There are 10 steam-frigates of from 450 to 600 horse power ; 20 sloops or corvettes of from 320 to 400 horse power, 20 of from 220 to 300 horse power; and two floating-batteries, one of 400 and the other of 500 horse power. Four or five large ships have been ordered to be built since January, 1851, and some progress has been made in their construction. Several of the French line of battle ships and the larger frigates are magnificent vessels, their sailing-lines of admirable draught, and their models beautiful. Their cannons and arms are also admirable. Several of their screw steam-ships are strongly and firmly constructed, and efficiently fitted out; but generally their machinery is far inferior to that of England, and their speed slower than that of English steam-ships. None of them are equal, either in power or speed, to the fleet of the Cunard line, or to several of the ships of the West India and Peninsular lines. In rigging, we may also consider the French navy inferior to British ships. The ships of the line which were last year displayed at Cherbourg were the prime ships of the French navy; and, notwithstanding the enthusiastic admiration of them by one British admiral, we heard the manoeuvring condemned as unskilful by experienced naval officers. But still the navy of France is by no means to be despised. The deficiency will be found chiefly in the scarcity of able and skilful seamen to man them in case of war. According to the last account of the Minister of Marine, the French fleet was in such condition, that 23 ships of the line, 31 frigates, 35 corvettes, and 47 brigs were ready to be put into commission, together with 14 steam-frigates, 13 corvettes, and 34 small steam-packets. The number of officers, consisting of admirals, vice-admirals, rear-admirals, captains of ships of the line, post-captains, lieutenants, ensigns or midshipmen, and cadets, amounted to 1872. The number of seamen, including marines, the greater part of whom have never been at sea, was decreed to be 27,000. The French mercantile navy is comparatively insignificant. As far as we can learn, there are not in it 15 ships above 500 tons. We have in the Thames one single firm who own 20 ships of from 1000 to 1,400 tons, fit for frigates ; and other London firms, and firms in Newcastle and Glasgow, have fleets nearly as magnificent. The following is the number of French naval officers and seamen: 2 admirals, 10 vice-admirals, 20 rear admirals, 110 captains of ships of the line, 230 captains of frigates, 050 lieutenants, 550 midshipmen, 300 cadets; total, 1,872 officers, and 20,000 seamen of all kinds in active sea service and in the ports. The naval expenditure of France, which includes that of the colonies, amounted in 1851 to the following sums: Central administration or Admiralty, 868,500f. (£34,840); scientific expenses, 404,100f. (£16,104); colonial expenditure (not including Algiers), 17,902,000f. (£716,080); for extraordinary constructions and other works, 3,955,000f. (£1!)8,200.) The total expenditure amounted to 106,449,413f. (£4,257,976 13s.); which sum includes the whole of the ordnance of the naval department of France. The interest of the debt of France was, for 1851, 391,154,760f. (4.'15,610,190 10i.), and the total expenditure of France for 1851 amounted to l,434,034,047f. (£57,385,361, 18s. 4d.) This included the expenses of collection and 80,000,000f. of drawbacks, reimbursements and premiums allowed for various exemptions, which reduced the amount by 3,200,000f. leaving a net expenditure of £54,185,361 18s. Id. for 35,500,000 of a population.”
Source
William Tait. “The National Defence Madness: in: Tait’s Edingburgh magazine, January-December 1852.
P. 362: “With regard to the French navy, we find that it consisted ships old and new, great and small, and on the stocks in January, 1851, of 328 vessels, including steamers. Of this fleet, 40 were ranked as ships of the line, 10 of which were of the first class, 10 of the second, 15 of the third, and 5 of the fourth class. There are 50 frigates that is to say, 15 of the first class, or equal to British frigates of 42 to 50 guns; 20 of the second class, and 15 of the third class; 4 corvettes, or sloops of war; 50 brigs, 30 of the first class and 20 of the second; 30 vessels, including gun-brigs, schooners and tenders; and 1G transport-ships, averaging from 300 to 600 tons. Besides which, there are 102 steamers afloat and building in the slips. These include 50 packets, the largest of which are of 200 horse power, 30 of which are from 160 to 200 horse power, and 20 of 120 horse power and under. There are 10 steam-frigates of from 450 to 600 horse power ; 20 sloops or corvettes of from 320 to 400 horse power, 20 of from 220 to 300 horse power; and two floating-batteries, one of 400 and the other of 500 horse power. Four or five large ships have been ordered to be built since January, 1851, and some progress has been made in their construction. Several of the French line of battle ships and the larger frigates are magnificent vessels, their sailing-lines of admirable draught, and their models beautiful. Their cannons and arms are also admirable. Several of their screw steam-ships are strongly and firmly constructed, and efficiently fitted out; but generally their machinery is far inferior to that of England, and their speed slower than that of English steam-ships. None of them are equal, either in power or speed, to the fleet of the Cunard line, or to several of the ships of the West India and Peninsular lines. In rigging, we may also consider the French navy inferior to British ships. The ships of the line which were last year displayed at Cherbourg were the prime ships of the French navy; and, notwithstanding the enthusiastic admiration of them by one British admiral, we heard the manoeuvring condemned as unskilful by experienced naval officers. But still the navy of France is by no means to be despised. The deficiency will be found chiefly in the scarcity of able and skilful seamen to man them in case of war. According to the last account of the Minister of Marine, the French fleet was in such condition, that 23 ships of the line, 31 frigates, 35 corvettes, and 47 brigs were ready to be put into commission, together with 14 steam-frigates, 13 corvettes, and 34 small steam-packets. The number of officers, consisting of admirals, vice-admirals, rear-admirals, captains of ships of the line, post-captains, lieutenants, ensigns or midshipmen, and cadets, amounted to 1872. The number of seamen, including marines, the greater part of whom have never been at sea, was decreed to be 27,000. The French mercantile navy is comparatively insignificant. As far as we can learn, there are not in it 15 ships above 500 tons. We have in the Thames one single firm who own 20 ships of from 1000 to 1,400 tons, fit for frigates ; and other London firms, and firms in Newcastle and Glasgow, have fleets nearly as magnificent. The following is the number of French naval officers and seamen: 2 admirals, 10 vice-admirals, 20 rear admirals, 110 captains of ships of the line, 230 captains of frigates, 050 lieutenants, 550 midshipmen, 300 cadets; total, 1,872 officers, and 20,000 seamen of all kinds in active sea service and in the ports. The naval expenditure of France, which includes that of the colonies, amounted in 1851 to the following sums: Central administration or Admiralty, 868,500f. (£34,840); scientific expenses, 404,100f. (£16,104); colonial expenditure (not including Algiers), 17,902,000f. (£716,080); for extraordinary constructions and other works, 3,955,000f. (£1!)8,200.) The total expenditure amounted to 106,449,413f. (£4,257,976 13s.); which sum includes the whole of the ordnance of the naval department of France. The interest of the debt of France was, for 1851, 391,154,760f. (4.'15,610,190 10i.), and the total expenditure of France for 1851 amounted to l,434,034,047f. (£57,385,361, 18s. 4d.) This included the expenses of collection and 80,000,000f. of drawbacks, reimbursements and premiums allowed for various exemptions, which reduced the amount by 3,200,000f. leaving a net expenditure of £54,185,361 18s. Id. for 35,500,000 of a population.”
Source
William Tait. “The National Defence Madness: in: Tait’s Edingburgh magazine, January-December 1852.
