ARMY AND NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 46, 18 November 1907, Page 7

ARMY AND NAVY.

THE ESTIMATES.

REDUCTIONS ASKED FOR. ' BY TELEOKAFH—rEESS ASSOCIATION—OOFTniaHT. (Rec. Nov. 17, 4.9 p.m.) London, November 16. Members of the House of Commons bavo petitioned Sir Henry Canipboll-Bannerman to hiing about a material reduction in tlie Army and Navy estimates, in view of tho peaceful situation resulting from Britain's relations with France and Russia, and her improved relations with Germany. AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT. REDUCTIONS CANNOT BE MAINTAINED. London, November 15. The Right Hon. Edmund Robertson, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, in a letter read at the London Chambers of Commence dinner, said: —" Reductions in tho naval estimates cannot bo maintained. Increases in tbe future are inovitablo, as we are now proceeding with tho building of n third Dreadnought, which was suspjnded during the progress of Tho Haguo Conference. Tho now Cunard liners will cost an additional £150,000 per annum."

■Lord Twcedmouth, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking in tho House of Lords in April, said tuat the policy of the Admiralty wob founded on three grounds', accepted by every party in tho State. Dirst. We must keep command of the sea regardless of cost. Second. We have now unquestioned command of the sea.Three. The burden is very heavy, owing to too keen competition of the various naval Powers.

Lord 'JVcedtmouth added: "Wo go to The Ilaguo Conference absolutely unpledged, or, in other words, if othors extend their programroo we shall extend ours in order to keep our relative position." Ho agreed that the Admiralty should concentrate its efforts on battleships. Earl Cawdor, formerly First Lord' of the Admiralty, expressed extreme pleasure at the statement made by Lord Twecdmoufch. Lord Brasscy called attention to the shipbuilding programme. Dreadnoughts, he said, must_ be few. Size was no security against certain risks. The latest cruisers, were almost as largo and as costly as battleships. In line of battle their speed would give them no ad-' vantage, while in fighting power they were inforior to battleships, to which thev would bj opposed. He urged that tho Admiralty should concentrate their resources as far as possibloion battleships. Tho Admiralty state that tho total sums set down in tho Navy Estimates, 1907-8, of Groat Britain, France.. Germany, and tho United .States for shipbuilding, repairs, and armaments, "on the same basis as tho answer given on November 13, 190G," to Mr. Bellairs are as follow:— Great Britain. ■■ 1907-8 _~ , Estimate. Shipbuilding ,£8,113,202 Kepairs and maintenance of material (i.e., hulls, machinery, and equipment, anchors, cables, etc.), but not stores 1,800,198 Armament and first outfit of ammunition for new ships and re-armed _ snips •• 1,127,000 Repairs and maintenance of guns 'and torpedoes 02,000 Totnl .£11.102.400 France, Germany, and United States.Apgregato sums voted for shipbuilding, repairs, and armaments:--Financial year. • Estimates. Franco, Jan. to Dec. 1907 .£5,724,408 Germany. April, 1907,t0 March, 1908 7,287,025 United States,' July, 1907, to June, IMS 19,387,072*

Total aggregato 'This figure includes n snm of ,£821,910 towards the accumulation of a reservo supply of ammunition.