After the Napoleonic wars Great Britain led all nations in sea-power, with France a distant second. In the second rank were Spain, Russia, and the Netherlands. Third rank, Turkey, Aus tria-Hungary, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, United States, Two Sicilies, Portugal, Prussia. In 1860 the United States held second place in this class. The United States navy greatly increased in tonnage during the Civil War, but af terward many ships were sold and little was done to strengthen the navy until 1881. Germany, Italy, and Japan, de veloped their naval power, and in 1880 Germany stood second. Italy after the war of 1866 had risen to second place, but dropped to third in 1880. The Jap anese navy began with the purchase of the Confederate ram "Stonewall" in 1866. Turkey reorganized her navy in 1863, and it had reached its highest power at the time of the war with Rus sia 1877-1878, but declined from that period. The decade between 1880 and 1890 was marked by a general expansion of the navies of the world. In 1889 Great Britain passed the Naval Defense Act which provided a program for 70 ves sels, 10 of the 1st class. In 1882 the United States began the building of a new navy, and, with Germany, had nearly passed France in naval power before the close of the decade. Great Britain in this period adopted the policy of maintaining a navy that should equal those of any two other nations combined. Spain ordered her first battleship in 1882, Japan 2 battleships in 1893, and commenced building naval vessels on an extensive scale. Austria built her first battleship in 1899, and the Argentine Re public ordered her first cruisers in 1895. After the South African War the United States made large appropriations for the navy program, and gained the second place, but was passed by Germany in 1910. Japan rose to the fifth place after her defeat of Russia.
In July 1, 1915, the chief naval powers had built, or were building, the following war vessels: United States-10 battle ships of dreadnought types, 20 older battleships, 4 coast-defense vessels, 15 armored cruisers, 3 fast cruisers and scouts, 8 other cruisers, 51 destroyers, 19 torpedo boats, 39 submarines; total tonnage built, 776,460. Vessels building: 9 battleships of dreadnought type, 17 destroyers, and 20 submarines; net ton nage, 296,380.
Great Britain-28 battleships, dread nought type, 35 older vessels, 10 battle cruisers, 3 coast defense vessels, 29 ar mored cruisers, 40 fast cruisers and scouts, 33 other cruisers, 185 destroyers, 49 torpedo boats and 90 submarines; total tonnage built, 2,310,957. Building:
9 battleships, dreadnought type, 8 fast cruisers, 25 destroyers, and 40 subma rines; total tonnage, 361,300.
Germany-17 battleships of dread nought type, 21 older battleships, 5 battle ship cruisers, 1 commerce destroyer, 4 armored cruisers, 14 fast cruisers, 15 other cruisers, 139 destroyers, and 30 sub marines; total tonnage 1,024,673. Build ing: 3 battleships of dreadnought type, 2 battleship cruisers, 6 fast cruisers, 15 destroyers, and 30 submarines; total tonnage, 208,416.
France-10 battleships of dreadnought type, 10 others, 2 fast cruisers, 17 armored cruisers, 8 others, 87 destroyers, 132 torpedo boats, and 76 submarines; total tonnage built, 662,302. Building : 12 first-class battleships, 3 fast cruisers, and 18 submarines; total tonnage, 349, 284.
Japan-2 battleship dreadnoughts, 12 older battleships, 2 battle cruisers, 2 coast defenders, 13 armored cruisers, 6 fast cruisers, 9 others, 49 destroyers, 2 tor pedo boats, and 13 submarines; total tonnage, 509,913. Building: 4 battleship dreadnoughts, 2 battleship cruisers, 2 de stroyers, and 2 submarines; total ton nage, 183,076.
Russia-5 battle cruisers, 8 others, 5 armored cruisers, 5 fast cruisers, 2 others, 10 destroyers, 13 torpedo boats, and 35 submarines; total tonnage, 384 040. Building: 2 battleship dread noughts, 4 armored cruisers, 6 fast cruisers, 34 destroyers, and 14 subma rines; total tonnage, 270,858.
Italy-6 battleship dreadnoughts, 8 others, 9 armored cruisers, 5 fast cruisers, 2 others, 41 destroyers, 70 tor pedo boats, and 23 submarines; total tonnage, 359,487. Building: 4 dread noughts, 1 fast cruiser, 2 cruisers, 16 iestroyers. Total tonnage, 148,655.
Austria-Hungary---4 dreadnoughts, 6 others, 6 coast defenders, 2 armored cruisers, 4 fast cruisers, 1 other, 19 de stroyers, 69 torpedo boats and 16 sub marines, total tonnage, 255,776. Build ing: 4 dreadnoughts, 3 fast cruisers, 6 destroyers, 1 torpedo boat; total tonnage, 118,270.
Following the World War the navies of the World were in a different relative position than before. The German navy had practically disappeared. In 1919 the British navy continued first with 641 ships, with a tonnage of 2,003,260. The United States was second with 206 ships, with a tonnage of 528,936. Japan was third with 98 ships, with a tonnage of 340,055. France was fourth with 131 ships, with a tonnage of 325,361. Italy was fifth with 145 ships, with a tonnage of 218,870. At the end of 1919 Great Britain had 194 ships under construc tion; the United States, 348; Japan, 43; France, 18; and Italy, 31.