RUSSIAN NAVY ESTIMATES FOR 1886.

Press, Volume XLII, Issue 6304, 2 December 1885, Page 5

RUSSIAN NAVY ESTIMATES FOR 1886.

The estimates just passed by the Basaian Government for 1686 Bhow that the vigorous naval policy initiated last year, just before the Aighaa confiich came on the acene, is to be continued and extended. While a few years ago £600,000 sterling was considered a sufficient annual grant for naval construction, and tho figure sometimes fell even below this, next twelvemonth will see an expenditure of 11,8511,800 roubles, or at the current rate of exchange,nearly £1,200,000. Of this ainennt £880,000 will be devoted to the building of hulls, and the remainder, to engines and machinery. The report further states that' of the grant .made for shipbuilding £600,000 will be assigned to private establishment* and only £230,000 to Government yards. To the uninitiated this would seem to imply a more flourishing condition of things on the part of private works, and a greater amcuat of paternal regard for them than ia really tee case. On the Neva—and the whole of the gant' is made for St. Petersburg—there are only two private establishments in receipt ofGovernment orders, and for that matter only two existing at all. Of these the Franca-Bqssian works, Igtetiue.wprka ot Mr George Blird, is' the only one thaft. can claim to be a private concern, the shares of the rival Baltic works on the opposite side of the river being wholly held by tiie Government Aa the latter is doing the most work, and will douttlesa receive the lion's share of the grant, it is hardly accurate to place the amount assigned to it under the heading of "To private firms," particularly as it baa long been treated as a semi-official ftppanage of the Admiralty, and is only left wholly reabsorbed by tho State for reasons of private interest on the part cf a few high officials. - ' ■ ■ - \