The " Times" in a leader remarks that the Govern ment of Prussia, which has just been triumphant in a mighty -war, and is remodeling all Germany for its own advantage, expends upon the total requirements of the State less than we Bpend upon our army and navy alone. It ought to follow that we may expect some proportionate means of security and strength, but notoriously this is not the case. As to our navy, instead of being as strong as all the world together, we are notoriously not in the first place. Alliances might easily and even naturally be formed by which all our effective fleet could be outnumbered to morrow. The position we have always vindicated for ourselves has been occupied by the Americans. They really have, or believe they have, a navy su perior to all the navies of Europe, and their pre sumptions are not without plausible grounds. True, they have not attained this position without com mensurate expenditure, but for this they have, at any rate, an equivalent return. Their iron-clad fleet alone numbers 75 vessels of various rates, and they have upwards of 500 fighting ships beside. The fact is, we have a navy, but it is a sham. "Wo have ships enough, but they 'are mostly UBoless. The "Navy List" tells us that we have nearly 600 men-of-war ; the First Lord of the Admiralty tells us that nino tenths of these are dummies. We have spent vast sums in patching up useless ships, and vast sums again in searching for perfection in a new model. That perfection we have never discovered, nor has any other nation discovered it; but other nations

THE STATE OF THE NAVY.
