ALL AFTER SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 516, 25 May 1909, Page 7

ALL AFTER SHIPS.

FRANCE'S PROGRAMME. THE DANTON STICKS ON THE SLIPS. COSTLY PROPOSALS. I i'll TILIOItArn — 1'11U33 ASSOCIATION—COrTBIQHT) (Rec. May 24, 1O.?O p.m.) Paris, May 24. Tho launch of tlio first French Dreadnought, tho Danton (18,300 tons, to carry four 12-inch and twelve 9.4-mch guns, and to have turbines equal to 22 knots), was -to have taken placo at Brost to-day, but was unsuccessful. Tho big vessel stuck fast on Mio slips, and powerful tugs failed to move.her/ Tho Commission of Inqliiiy into the state of tho French Navy, appointed by tho Chamber of Deputies at the instance of M. Dolcasso, recommend that the number of battleships on France's naval construction programme bo raised to 33.

Fast scouting cruisors, instead of tho armoured class, find favour with iho commission, which also omphasiso the need of destroyers and submarines, Tho commission recommend the laying down in 1910 of two Dreadnoughts each of 21,000 tons, with a speed of 21 knots. SOUTH AMERICAN ARMAMENTS. CHILE MAY BUILD. London, May 23. Reutcr's Agoncy states that the Chilian Government is considering a proposal eubmitted by the Admiralty for the acquisition of new warships, to supersede tho present fleet.

; >M;. PI CARD'S 38 BATTLESHIP SCHEME. ;; ..; ; ; A STATE. OP;^NASCttYi ; ■■//;,;.: ;■ France is at present in the position.of having- a' disorganised navy, a commission.'o£-\n-quiry.ian'd also a new non-political Minister b! Marino, M. Alfred Pioard,- who' was specially appointed on'the/initiative of tho Premier, M. Clemenoeau. The Premier took the course, permissible:; in.Trunce,. of going ; outside Parliament to'pick tho.lnan he wanted. ~ - ;' Will: Parliament'Consont? ; ! ,'7 ;/ > ;; ; •: One/of M: Picatd's' first acts" was to draft three separate schemes.. The first was based on a : minimum-annual, 'grant of by means of which M; Picard proposed to have by 1919 or 1920 22 additional battleshins, ! He fur< I ther: stated that, if r the Chamber oould be iri- ; duoed to increase .the , sum to ; ,£14,240,000, he ./would provide 28 battleships; if the Chamber would 1 grant -JEIB.GOO.OOO. ho ,would ■ provide 38 battleships. , .'.■'..•:..■■<;'.:'.,,■■' '■ ■' ■ s. cablegram would appear to .indicate that the .Commission support; -Jl. -Picard's maiimum.proposal: But;the.'costus"colossal; and the ■. consent of: Parliament \yill netbe eiisily obtained. According, tp'-reooht- Paris: advices, i"the.Minister forFinahoe.-H. Caillaux; has expressed', astonishment' at the demand for so largeTa sum,: but - will not rsfu6o:it, : provided it-oan:be shown/to be required by the interests of national seourity./. He- insists, however,, that 1 anyrspeoial expenditure.: must:, be -, incorporated; ™- {he' Budget; Though: officially; it is stated thatAhewi is no uWeigerice/ot:Opinion on.naval! affairs among,'Ministers,/it ,is: generally, under-' etqod.that all tho.Cabinet■ aro not agreed as'to' the necessity Of "spending:i' : vast sum of money' onrtho fleet,'and that Ministers are. apprehensive as'to.the attitude of Parliament.;; The reaV belief is that France and ; Eussia are working. in : f 8 ! 4 '* 41 ,agreement<to reconstruct/their, navies. ;•:,: ; ;M, ;Picatd's investigations ihave revealed ,, a state of anai'ohy in the. administration , of the n&Y^' Htt/hastllfsMweted : -thyt'-'-t6rtttues have ;bßcn;cprruptly/inad* by. priva'te.in'dividunls'uut bf'the'oUtlay.oh-'.tho.navy, and,.thaf.there i ''lias. been,;an suitor: want; of : .i6nlinuity.-!.in "naval polioy.? Hβ" has. reported. the prevalence of a deplorable lack .of.tlißciplino: in/.the.-dockyards,.: where.the workmen are.pervaded:with-.tho spirit' pt,.Socialism.; . -fljaste,and -rttravagance, havebeen .the, characteristics'Of-.the administration, and, a?,an; instance of this,: he found; that 'the ;new,;stibmwine; V-Z'X'. had been" I entirely" for-gotten-..for .'three; years hr a,cornerof a dbek- , yard;. , ,:../.■' ■/;:,-'//■: ■•. .,/:■/ • ,;-'■,/■ ■ ' ■ ■ .'. ! '.■..::■; -.; ■ ;',The following are his :—V... ■/<.} , :i;'An::entire reorganisation';o^;:the•ocnt^alvndv: rnimstratibn is necessary.-. ; ■..; ■ : -; : : '; 2. A./responsiblo/direoto.r.of navnl oonstruotiori '••: must be'.Rppointed.; ~: . ■ ,•••. ~.';' - ■ s ,-.™he" maoßiners of.the dockyards' ncedsW-' ■v.;liftullng niid modernising. .■'■'.-. /: : ■;• . , ./:/. i.. 'Cheaper methods;-.of ■ construction must '■ be ':'•'.-. iintroduccd./.•' " ;■'■'■;./.';...',. /■'.,,.";■'■ ' i --'A"'?l ,^ b - o^,^f ,'' fi^'o,^, s :, WftlejnipsiusV.b'e , ■■■■■/. laid .down at oace.'':.- , -'■':;•;'■;■. : :n-;/; . . /;"T : ."•: M '■■ We; : naval / stores/and 'reserves niust ;; Ke : : >replenished. , -,v ;/-; -y.-,i ;'.,"■'.',;,■■;. !'■".■..'■■■-./■' .".■'■.■■.