3 corvettes, mounting 27 or 28 guns each. 1 corvette, mounting 17 guns. _Steamships with little Fighting Value._ 4 first-class gunboats, mounting 3 guns each. 17 second-class gunboats, mounting 2 guns each. 3 despatch-boats, mounting together 8 guns. _Steamship without Fighting Value._ 1 corvette, mounting 9 guns. _Sailing Ships with little or no Fighting Value._ 3 frigates, mounting a total of 112 guns. 3 brigs, mounting a total of 4 guns. 2 schooners, mounting a total of 4 guns. _Also without Fighting Value._ 40 rowing-boats, mounting a total of 76 guns. Denmark, on the other hand, had 31 steam war vessels, among which were 1 battleship, 5 frigates, 3 corvettes, and 4 armoured craft. Even with the assistance of a number of Austrian ships, which arrived in the North Sea from the Mediterranean, the Prussian fleet could contribute nothing decisive towards the issue of the war. At the most it prevented the Danish blockade of the German coast-line from being effective. The Prussian Government attempted to reduce its inferiority by hiring merchant vessels, and hurriedly purchased warships in France and England. One of these latter, the monitor _Arminius_, which was of English build, was almost entirely paid for with the voluntary contributions which had continued to flow in. This fact shows how steady and keen the interest of a large section of the population in the development of the navy already was, and how erroneous it is to ascribe the naval enthusiasm in Germany of recent years entirely to the official agitation. Peace was concluded before the new ships could be made ready for sea. The war of 1864 was one of the great cross-roads of British history. Difficult as it is to "overlook the cards of Providence," as Bismarck puts it, there can be little doubt that we took the wrong turning. The great German Chancellor candidly admitted that the possession of Kiel and a strategic canal through Holstein were two of the principal objects which Prussia had in view when she drew the sword. The two leading members of the British Cabinet were in favour of backing up Denmark; and one of them, Palmerston, used language in Parliament which might well have led that country to count upon our support. A strong body of English public opinion also warmly espoused the Danish cause. But Queen Victoria, largely influenced by the sympathy for Germany which she had imbibed from the Prince Consort, threw all the weight of the Crown into the opposite scale.