Personnel.

The number of officers and men on the active list of the French Navy in 1903 was 53,247, and in the Reserve there were 49,346 officers and men. The number of men effective during 1903 was less by 2,940 than the number available during the preceding year.

The executive officers of the French Navy are divided as follows: - 15 vice-admirals, 30 rear-admirals, 124 captains, 212 commanders, 751 lieutenant-commanders, 574 lieutenants, 146 sub-lieutenants, 100 midshipmen, 183 cadets.

Materiel.

The number of ships built, building, and projected for the French Navy on Nov. 30th, 1903. was: -

Built.

Battleships 1st class ..........................

20

" 2nd class.............

9

" 3rd class.............

1

Coast defence vessels

14

Armored cruisers

10

Protected cruisers

7

" " 2nd class......

16

" " 3rd class.......

17

Unprotected cruisers

1

Torpedo vessels

16

Torpedo-boat destroyers

14

Torpedo boats

247

Submarines

15

Building.

Battleships, 1st class

6

Armored cruisers

12

Torpedo-boat destroyers

19

Torpedo-boats

18

Submarines

25

Projected.

Armored cruiser*

1

Torpedo-boat destroyers

4

Torpedo boats

25

Submarines

18

Dockyards.

The Government dockyards in France are situated as follows: -

Cherbourg

One dock takes battleships 14,000 tons; seven smaller. Brest. - One dock takes battleships; others very small. Lorient. - One dock takes battleships 14,000 tons; one takes small cruisers. Rochefort. - Three docks, take small vessels only. Toulon. - Three docks take battleships 14,000 tons; six others take cruisers.