-o far as the collective strength of their heavy fighting ships is concerned, navies are considered to rank as follows in 1903: 1, British; 2. French: 3, Russian; 4. United States; 5, (term:in: 6. it:d ial]: 7, •lapanese: 8_ \ listrian. To the lesser Pow ers it is difficult to assign places. The relative positions of the l'itited States :old Germany are disputed. though all authorities agree that their forces are very nearly equal. At the opening of the twentieth century the French and Italian navies have been falling behind their rivals, and the Russian is hardly holding its own. If the present conditions remain unellanged, it. seems likely that in It very few years the United States and 11criliany will be superior at sea to all oilier Powers except (treat Britain. and will be striving with each other for second! place.
The condition of the various navies in 1901-02 was as follows: ttlittats NAVIES.
AR{ I vrtx.k. The .trgentine navy is the most powerful one possessed by It South American Slate In Nlay. 1902. the fleet consisted of 4 high speed armored cruisers of 0810 to 7180 tons flannelled 1895-981, 1 third-class battleship of 1207 tons (launched 1880. hut recently rebuilt), 2 armored etnist -defense vessels of 2330 tons Ihuinrhvil 1891) 91 I, 2 armored en:1st-defense ves• sets of 1558 (launched 1874-75. ]nit re
constructed), 3 high-speed protected cruisers of 3200, 3570. and 4780 tons (launched 1890-95), 1 small partially protected cruiser of 1442 tons (launched 1874), 2 torpedo gunboats of 1070 and 520 tons (launched 1890-93), 3 gun ves sels of 550 to 820 tons, 1 cruising school-ship of 2750 tons (launched 1897). 1 torpedo school ship of 1100 tons (launched 1880). 4 torpedo boat destroyers of 281) tons, 2 torpedo boats of 110 tons, 0 of 85 tons, 4 of 52 tons, 10 of 16 tons. and 1 torpedo mining boat. In addi tion there were building in Europe two high-speed armored cruisers of 8500 tons, and in Buenos Ayres a submarine boat was reported as under construction. The former by a treaty signed in 1903 between Argentina and Chile were to be disposed of, while. further disarmament was con The tiara] academy is located at Buenos Ayres. There is a small naval station at La Plata and a torpedo school and torpedo boat station at Buenos Ayres, but the principal navy yard will be at Bahia Blanca when the works which were construction in 1902 arc completed.