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. Main compared the British navy with the major naval powers at that
moment in the world like France and the United States.
P. 62: “Russia has been making great progress in her navy. According to the
Recueil de la Marine, the number of iron-clads in 1865 was seventeen. The
fleet, not long ago, made a friendly visit to Sweden. The navy, altogether,
consists of 258 steamers and 36 sailing vessels. One rather remarkable vessel
has been built lately, the Ne Tron Menya; also a turret-ship, the Swertch,
which was constructed from a drawing prepared by Captain Coles. Six other
turret-ships are being built in Russian dockyards, and at St. Petersburg a ship
is being constructed on the principle of the Bellerophon.”
Source
Robert Main. “The Navy in 1865”
in: British army & navy review. Vol IV, London.
