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.
