THE NAVAL ESTIMATES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1074, 13 March 1911, Page 5

THE NAVAL ESTIMATES.

COMMENT ON THE PROGRAMME

By rcleeranli-Press association-CoDyrient London, March 10. The "Daily News" (Liberal) states that tho Naval Estimates will be adhered' to. Tho keels of twenty Dreadnoughts, including tho colonial ones, have been laid in the past three years. "This," adds tho "News," "is inexplicable and unjustifiable by anything known to tho public. The German navy law is on the evo of expiry, and the prespnt is a hopeful time to promote an agreement concerning this mad shipbuilding race. The gigantic expansion of the Navy is rapidly eating into the magnificent resources of the 1909 Budget." The "Morning Leader" (Liberal) protests against the laying down of five Dreadnoughts. It considers that the peace party in the Cabinet met with a serious reverse, and also suggests that tho party has been weakened by Mr. LloydGeorge's illness. The "Daily Chronicle" (Liberal) defends the Estimates, pointing out that Germany will have twenty-one Dreadnoughts in 1911, and that if Britain held her hand she (Britain) would have only 25, not counting tho two for Australian waters. "It is impossible to think," says tho "Chronicle," "that this would render Britain's security unassailable, always remembering Austria's five Dreadnoughts." The "Pall Mall Gazette" (Unionist) says:—"The system of professing to provide a long list of ships in one year and then throwing a disproportionate burden of tho cost upon future years is being perpetuated. The gradually accumulating congestion caused by delay in building makes the new construction vote a farce." The paper urges a naval loan to redeem the position. The "Westminster Gazette" (Independent) says:—"We believe the new construction will bo enough to make us 6ecure, but not so much as to induce competitors to believe we have aggressive designs, calling for further efforts on their part."

FRENCH CONSTRUCTION. Paris, March 10. In ' the Chamber of Deputies, the Minister for Marine, M. Delcasse, replying to a .question, said that France and Germany would, in 1920, have twenty-two Dreadnoughts each. France would have eighteen armoured cruisers and' Germany twelve <