FRENCH AFFAIRS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13939, 12 January 1911, Page 7

FRENCH AFFAIRS.

CABLE NEWS.

THE NAVY.

A GLOOMY REPORT "United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received January 12th, 2.30 a.m.) PARIS, January 11. M. Benaget, Reporter on tho Naval Estimates, reports that ships have been built for defensive purposes when offensive ships were required. The fleet is of little value, though it has cost as much as that of Germany. Without any greater expenditure France could have had twelve more battleships and remained the second naval Power. Too much has beon spent on destroyers and submarines.

The Paris correspondent of tho "Standard" wrote last year:—"At a moment when the reciprocal services to be expected from England and Fiance are often mentioned, and the numerical deficiency of the British Army is unsparingly criticised by certain French writers, it cannot be considered out of place to examine the present situation and futuro prospects of the fleet of our prospective ally on the sea. France has at present seven battleships of effective strength, six P.?.tries, and one Suffren. As for those of the second squadron and the reserve, they may servo to swell lists on paper, but would bo merely food for powder in action, according to service opinion. Consequently, 21 battleships have to be constructed to make up the promised total of 28. Out oi these we can only discover two on the Budget of this year, and two more in the respective Budgets of 1911 and 1912. These shins are to take three years in building, so that in 1915 thero ought to be three squadrons—namely, the six Patries, the six Dantons, and the six vessels of 23,000 tons. But at this some date Germany will, beyond all doubt, have 23 Dreadnoughts or superDreadnoughts, plus a dozen Deutschlands, equal to the Patries. To make up this disparity in somo measure, tho French programme includes some scouts and destroyers of 1000 tons each, but the superior officers would gladly give up all these for a stronger offensive line of battle."

France has been out-distanced by both Germany and tho United States. The latest report of the American intelligence Office declares that tho German navy gained during tho past year nearly 20 per cent, in" total tonnage, while Great Britain gained 11 per cent. The"Tribune says:—"Many experts believe that Germany's remarkable gain in tonnage entitles her to second rank among the navies of the world, dropping tho United States, which last year was second, to third place."