NAVY.

235

The strength of the navy of the United Kingdom is shown in the subjoined official return, annexed to the naval estimates for 1870- 71, giving the number of steam ships afloat and building, together with the number of effective sailing ships, on the 1st February 1870 :—

Steam

Classes of Ships

Sailing ships

Total

Afloat

Building

afloat

Iron Wood

Iron

Armour-plated ships, 1st Class

1

1

2

„ 2nd „

3

3

6

3rd „

5 4

_

9

„ „ 4th „

3 5

-

8

5th „

4

-

4

6th „

2

_

2

,, ,, Unclassified sloops

and gun boats

3 2

-

5

„ „ Special, with turrets

5 1

5

11

„ „ Floating batteries

3 1

-

1

5

27 15

9

Total ironclads

42

9

1

52

Ships of the line . . screw

43

2

2

47

Frigates . . . . „

29

_

29

„ .... paddle

3

_

1

4

Block ships . . . .screw

1

_

2

3

Corvettes . . . . . ,,

24

_

24

Sloops . . . . . „

33

1

34

,, .... paddle

7

_

1

8

Small vessels . . . . ,,

8

_

8

Despatch vessels . . . . „

4

_

4

Gun vessels . {**** and

^ double screw

] 50

1

51

Gun boats . . . . . „

58

1

9

68

Tenders, tugs, &c. . . . screw

14

_

14

,, „ . . . paddle

38

-

38

Mortar ships .... screw

_

2

2

Troop and store ships . . . screw

11

_

11

,, „ . . paddle

1

-

1

Transports for India reliefs . screw

5

_

5

Yachts . . . paddle

4

1

5

Total screw

310

14

324 '

„ paddle Grand total

65

1

—

66

375

15

18

408

Not included in the above list are several ships for the defence

of the colonies.