RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 202, 20 May 1908, Page 7

RUSSIA

, PROBLEMS,OF FINANCE. . j THE NAVY AND. THE AMUR RAILWAY. 8T TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT ' St. Petersburg, May 18. The Duma's Budget Committee reported against a credit of eloven hundred thousand (?) pounds for the construction of battleships. A' committee of the Russian' Upper House approved the immediate construction of tlio Amur railway, despite Count Witte's warning that tho enterprise would cost thirtytwo and a half millions sterling. WANTED-225 MILLIONS.. It was alleged in January that the Government had threatened to dissolve the Duma if the credits for rebuilding the battle fleet wero refused. "The TimosV St. Petersburg correspondent then stated that "the Government programme for , the rebuilding of the navy provides for an. expenditure of' «E225,000,000, spread,over.twelve years, and the Octobrists are already willing to vote The Octobrists are strong enough in the Duma to carry a majority for oithor side, but apparently aro'not. so pliant, as 'the correspondent thought.' The loaders of the Octobrists are said to bo all opposed to a revival of tho battle fleet. The question itself, in its broad inspects, is, says "The Times" correspondent, "already irrevocably settled by public opinion.. Tho Navy League, the majority of naval officers, and evor.v important newspaper, including tho 'Novoe Yremya,' are unanimously resolved against any present nttompt to rebuild tho battle fleet. Any such attempt is regarded as foolhardy in itself, and is calculated to bring Russia into, further adventures and disaster. I doubt if there is another question on which so many Russians think alike, and if tho Duma really represented the public, opinion of tho country the credits for battleships would be rejected in- advance." It is estimated that tho Amur railway, for a considerable part of its length, will cost i1G,600 por milo. Its chief purpose is to keep paco with Japaneso development in Manchuria.