The European naval strength according to the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 11 March 1856

Ron van Maanen

The newspaper la Presse published a statistic overview of the navies and armies of Europe.

The Austrian navy numbered 102 ships armed with 752 guns, namely 6 frigates, 6 corvettes, 7 brigs, 47 other vessels, 18 gunboats and 10 steamships.

The Danish navy numbered 120 ships armed with 889 guns, namely 5 ships of the line, 6 frigates, 4 corvettes, 4 brigs, 89 gunboats and 7 steamboats.

The navy of the Two Sicilies numbered 29 ships with 44 guns, namely 2 ships of the line, 5 frigates, 5 brigs, 12 steam frigates and 15 smaller vessels.

The Spanish navy numbered 410 ships armed with 1,530 guns and 9,970 hp, namely 4 ships of the line, 9 frigates, 8 corvettes, 19 brigs, 40 steamships and 319 smaller vessels.

The French navy numbered 407 ships with 11,773 guns and 28,750 hp, namely 53 ships of the line, 58 frigates, 78 corvettes, 101 brigs including those with auxiliary steam engines, 3 ships of the line, 20 frigates, 30 corvettes, 64 aviso’s with auxiliary steam engines (included 32 ships newly launched in 1855) and large number of bomb galliots etc.

The British navy numbered 591 ships with 17,291 guns and 69,989 hp and 110 transports and other ships namely 302 sailing ships with 11,478 guns and 289 steamships with 5,818 guns.

The Greek navy numbered 2 corvettes, 3 brigs and so and 25 smaller vessels with 143 guns.

The Ionian Islands navy numbered 1 frigate and 3 steamships.(1)

The Dutch navy numbered 84 ships with 2,000 gun, namely 5 ships of the line, 15 frigates, 13 corvettes, 9 brigs and 58 gunboats.

The Portuguese navy numbered 44 ships with 404 guns, namely 1 ship of the line, 1 frigate, 6 corvettes, 6 brigs etc.

The Prussian navy numbered 50 ships with 250 guns, namely 4 frigates, 1 corvette etc.

The Russian navy numbered 207 ships with 9,000 guns, namely 60 ships of the line, 37 frigates, 70 corvettes, 40 steam warships etc.

The Sardinian navy numbered 40 ships with 900 guns, namely 8 frigates, 4 brigs etc.

The Swedish-Norwegian navy numbered 475 ships, namely 10 ships of the line, 11 frigates, 13 brigs and corvettes etc.

The Turkish navy numbered 70 ships with 1,605 guns, namely 6 ships of the line, 16 frigates etc.

Totally numbered the European navies 2,845 ships included 600 steamships with a total armament of about 50,000 guns.

Note

1. This group of seven islands and some islets is to be located in the Ionian Sea and since November 1815 in fact a British protectorate. Although in 1849 England still refused that islands were added to Greece, was this cession accepted in May-June 1864.