A few obsolete vessels are excluded from this list (Duperre, Redoubtable, &c.). The tables which follow of the French armour-clad fleet and first-class cruisers are arranged chronologically, like the similar tables for the British navy. The ships named in italics are not yet ready for sea. The dates of design are given, but it should be remembered that French warships are usually altered during construction to meet more modern ideas. An asterick (*) indicates that a ship has been modernised since her launch. Old guns are noted in tons. Speeds given are the best the ships can make to-day. Pre sent max. speed Minor cruisers include the torpedo depôt ship Foudre, 4 Descartes class, 3,988 tons (designed 1892), 4 6'4in., 6 5 5in. guns, present speed about 18 knots; 6 Bugeaud type, 4,000 tons (designed 1891), 6 6 4in., 4 4in., speeds varying from 19 to 17 knots; 3 Linois and 2 D'Estrees type, 2,300 tons (designed 1892) 4 5 5in., 2 4in. guns, speeds about 20 knots; Suchet, 3,450 tons (designed 1886 and since modernised), 6 6.4in. 4 4in. guns, speed about 20 knots; and Darout, a smaller sister of the above. There are also some older craft of no present fighting value. French watertube boilers are:-Belleville 44, Niclausse 20, Lagrafe d'Allest 15, Normand 6, Du Temple 1, Guyot 1. French battleships are of many designs. The characteristic old one, the Marceau type, is high of freeboard, completely belted at the water-line, but otherwise unprotected save for the barbettes. This type carries a huge Q. F. battery, with the four big guns disposed single in the well-known lozenge fashion. The Brennus, which follows, is of a totally different design, with guns fore and aft in turrets, and all the Q. F. guns protected by armour amidships. Four small coast defence ships of the Jemappes type follows this idea, minus the armour amidships; but the large ships following, Charles Martel to the Masséna and the Bouvet, reverted to the lozenge disposition of big guns, combined with small turrets for the quick-firers. In the three ships of the Charlemagne type and the Jéna all this is abandoned for the big guns in pairs fore and aft, with the quick-firers in a battery, high up and unprotected underneath. With the Suffren comes another change-a much more British style of armouring, that is to say no unprotected spots below the guns. The République type is an essentially French conception. The secondary guns are mostly in turrets with a high command, well distributed and well protected. They are among the finest battleships ever designed, being without any superfluous weights. M Bertin is the designer. The armoured cruisers up to the Leon Gambetta, in which all guns are paired, are distinguished by every gun being by itself, usually in a small turret. In most of them protection to the bases of the guns is sacrificed for a high command, but in later vessels full protection is given. All are relatively longer and narrower than British vessels. In the Renan and Michelet armament has been sacrificed to a high speed, 235 knots being demanded. The Edgard Quinet is designed to embody both qualities. In these ships single gun turrets are reverted to. The submarine is a great feature of the French navy. There are two types the submarine proper, which navigates best below water, and the submersible, which does better above. Despite glowing newspaper accounts the measure of success achieved is yet very limited so far as practical work is concerned. However, a very large number of them are being built. species of armoured torpedo boat is also finding much favour in France. A Production and Industry. I. AGRICULTURE. Of the total area of France (53,646,370 hectares) 8,397,131 hectares are under forests and 36,977,098 hectares under all kinds of crops, fallow, and grasses. The following tables show the area (1 hectare 2:47 acres) under the leading crops and the production (1 hectolitre of cereals = 2.75 bushels ; of liquid = 22 gallons; 1 quintal 220 4 lbs.) for four years : The annual production of wine and cider appears as follows: 1 The imports and exports are for 10 months only. The value of the crop of chestnuts, walnuts, olives, cider-apples, plums, and mulberry leaves was estimated in 1901 at 172,822,841 francs: in 1962 at 171,665,920 francs. On December 31, 1902, the numbers of farm animals were: Horses, 3.028.478: mules, 206,127; asses, 363,971; cattle, 14,928,550; sheep, 18,476,788; pigs, 7,209,174; goats, 1,532,007. Silk culture, with Government encouragement primes), is carried on in 28 departments of France-most extensively in Gard, Drome, Ardérbe, and Vantinse. In 1902, 128,199 persons were employed in this industry; the production of c0000s was 7,287,541 kilogrammes; 195,486 kilogrammes of cocoons were exported valued at 2052 613 franca, and 2,810,701 kilogrammLES of raw silk, waited an 99.376,973 fram ta II. MINING AND METALS. In France there were in 1903, 629 mines out of 1,488 conceded mines, in work, with 183.730 workers. The annual yield was estimated at 41,795,514 toma valmed as 505.ret.234 francs. as againan 347,115,810 francs in 1894. Indading won-weselet mines in 1903, the otspot was 42.868.288 may valsed a 545 3020 frames The blowing ure statistics of the leading mineral and metal products : 23,680 tons; ane di Jag In 1903 there were produced also ores of lead, tons; copper. 10,392 tons: antimony, 12 380 tons; asente, 4 did sons; and |