THE NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 456, 15 March 1909, Page 5

THE NAVY.

4 POUR LEVIATHANS TO BE COMMENCED FOUR MORE IF WANTED. NEW CONSTRUCTION INCREASED BY £1,535,770. [UT TEI.F.rIIIAPU—I'IIKSK AfISUCiA TION*—COPYIUGIIT.] (Roc. March 14, '1.30 p.m.) London, .March 13. The Navy Estimates for 1909-10, presents to the House of Commons by the First Lore of the Admiralty (Mr. M'Kcnna), tota £35,142,700, as comiforod with £32,319,60( last year, an incrcaso of £2,823,200. New construction will absorb £8,880,-10-1 (as compared with £7,545,202 in 1908' DO), of which £6,599,424 (1908-09, £0,795,202) will bo spent on the continuation ol ships' already under construction, am £2,285,770 (being an increase of £1,335,77( over the amount for 1908-09, £750,000) wil go towards the building of ships for the new construction programme. Nov; Programme Compared With Last Year's The new programme for 1909-10, frith the new programme as for 1008-09 attached foi purposes of comparison, is as under. ■ 1909-10 1908-0S Dreadnoughts 4 Largo armoured cruiser ... ■ 1 Protected Cruisers ... 6 6 Destroyers The new programme will also inclutk £500,000 for new submarines, as did lasi year's. A Conditional Squadron. The personnel of the Navy (which for the last two years has numbered 128,000 men; will not bo increased. The Government will, if neoes3ary, as! for authority to make preparations for tin rapid construction of four mora largo ar moured ships to bo laid down on April 1 1910) and to bo completed in March, 1911. In his Memorandum on the Estimates, Mr M'Kcnna shows that £00,000 has been al lotted for the purpose of airships. Between April 1, 190S, and March 31 1909, the following ships have been, or wil have been, completed: — 1009- 190810. 09 Battleships ® ' Invincibles (battleship-cruisers) ... 4 ~ Armoured cruisers (Warrior type) — 3 Destroyers 6 jj Torpedo boats (Ist class) 17 10 Submarines .:. ' 7 ® ' On April 1, 1909, there will bo under construction tho fallowing (as compared wit) those under construction on April 1, 1908): 1909-10 10OS-OC Battleships ... ® Armoured cruisers... ... 1 Unarniouretl cruisers ... 2 Protected cruisers ••• 5 ~~ Destroyers 25 1-0 Torpedo boatß 6 Submarines Press Criticisms. The "Daily News" (Liberal) expresses disappointment with tho Estimates on the ground that the programme is colossal. ■On tho other hand, tho Unionist press if disappointed on tho ground that tho programme is inadequate-unless tho additiona: powers for the ccnstruction of four .more largo armoured ships, as mentioned, are resolutely enforced. TEMERAIRE'S SPEED TRIAL.' London, March 12. The iiew battleship Temeraire, 18,600 tons. attained a speed of 21. t knots ou a trial run. ; BRITISH AND GERMAN FIGURES. According to the German Navy Estimates announced in November, seven millions wen set aside for new construction, as compare with .CS,BSS,IM now set aside for that purposi by the British Admiralty, which lias a two Power standard to maintain. The coiuhhtma squadron of four extra large armoured ship! is Britain's reply to Germany, aMI its construction will no doubt depend on the rate 0i realisation of the German programme, whicl provides for beginning three Dreadnoughts am one Indomitable, besides smaller craft. Thi following table shows the movement of tin British 'Navy Estimates in six years:— 1901-5 ,t3G,SS9,(ICO 1905-6 .13,389,000 1906-7 31,809,000 1907-8 31,119,000 1003-9 32,319,000 1909-10 35,112,700 According to the "Daily News," tho expend! turo upon new construction has been:— Year. Expenditure. 1901-2 i'S,SOS,OOO 1902-3 8,53-1,000 ■ 1903-1 11,115,000 190-1-5 ... / 11,203,000 19C5-6 0,688,000 IPOG-7 8,861,000 1907-8 8,100,000 1908-9 7,515,000