WAR STRENGTH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 961, 31 October 1910, Page 7

WAR STRENGTH.

BRITAIN'S POSITION.

STOPPED FAR SHORT OF OTHERS-

VIEWS OF LORD MILNER.

ByTel«era.Dli--Frcss Association—Oopyrlirlit. (llcc. Ootobor 30, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 29, Lord Milncr, speaking at Canterbury, stated that witli moro to lose than others, Britain had stopped far short of others in self-protection. She left the bulk of her manhood .witlicit any military training, and relied solely on tho Navy. This was unfair to the Navy, and, in the event of a European struggle, unfair to her allies. CERMAN NAVY. " ACCELERATED SHIPBUILDING. Berlin, October 28. The "Berliner Tagcblatt" interprets Admiral von-Koester's recent speech before the German Navy League as foreshadowing the Estimates, and an amendment to tho Navy Law, by which two cruisers shall be submitted for one annually, the maximum number of ships to remain unaltered, but a group of six cruisers to bo completed three years earlier than arranged. Germany would thus annually begin three capital ships instead of two from 1912 to 1914 (inclusive).

THE NAVY LAW. The German naval programme at present in course of execution was voted in the Navy Act of 1900, : which" fixed tlie strength of the' German Navy at 38 battleships, 14 large cruisers, 38 small oruisers, and 98 destroyers. It provided that every German large, ship should be replaced in twenty-five years, and every destroyer in twelve.

In 1906 this Act was amended by a new Aot,..the so-called "Novelle," which raised tho number, of iarge cruisers to 20, and tho number of destroyers to 144, and provided for the annual laying down of .2 large battleships, 1 large armoured cruiser, 2 small oruisers, and 12 destroyers, besides submarines. In 1808, the Act 'was again amended and expanded, the age at which every large ship mast be replaced being reduced from twenty-five to twenty years, and the number of ships to be annually laid down and the expenditure being fixed as follows year by year '■ S i h t [tj'6 i lifiil I s : ■3 ag ®-Øog ■ Million Million

Total ... 18 10 20 120 207.7 93.2, Thus, provision • was made for a total expenditure, of, .£207,000,000,, of . which was'to ha devoted to now ships and guns, during a period of tan years. It is now.known that even.if. this programme is not extended,, penditure will be in advance of .'tho'amounts set down between 1910 and 1917. According to Colonel Gaedke the programme will, be revised in 1912, and raised : to four or five large a. mourod ships.; Tho • German Government, however, has formally Stated that it has no intention of increasing its programme;

Yoar. £ £ 1903 —.... 3 : 1 .3 12 16.6 ■> 8.3 < ' 1909 3 1 2 12 m .. 10.7 . 1910 ...... 3 1 - 2 12 . 22.0' 11.8 1911 3 1 2 12 23.0 12.1 1912 1 1 2 12 22.4 11.4 . 1913 1- .1 : 2 , .12 . : 21.5 10.0 1914 1 1 2 12 20.8 . 9.0 1915 ..... 1 1 2 12 20.0 8.3 1916 1 1 2 . 12 20.4 8.3 1917 1 1 2 12 20.8 . 8.3