GERMAN DEFENCES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 25 March 1912, Page 7

GERMAN DEFENCES.

GREAT FORWARD POLICY. ARMY AND NAVY INCREASES. NEW BATTLESHIP SQUADRON. (Rec. March 24, 5.5 p.m.) Berlin, March 23. The Army and Navy Hills have boon published. They provide for (he expenditure of an additional .£7"iO,OCO mi the nnvy during the present year, and the building of an extra battleship every second year, beginning from 3013. The army peace footing will bo increased in October by 20,000 men. From further details published in tho newspapers it appears that tho increases in tho expenditure on tho army, which now stands at .£36,800,000, will be as follow:— wM,850,000 in 1912. in 1913. .£5,700,000 in 191-4. The increases in the naval expenditure will bo as under:— .£750,000 in 1912. .£1,400,000 in 1913. .£1,900,000 iu 19U. wC1.000,000 in 1915. 42,150,000 in 1916. Tho new naval construction will include the following vessels:— Three battleships. Two small cruisers. A number of submarines and some airships. The Navy Bill remedies two defects in the organisation. One deals with the dismissal of naval restrvists every autumn, a practice which hag hecn diminishing the readiness of the battle fleet, and tho second with the fact that out of a Budget strength of 59 ships, only 21 are available if the reserve 'Hoot cannot get ready promptly. These defects are to be remedied by the gradual formation of a Third Active Squadron. Tho Army Bill accelerates the strengthening of the peace forces, which it was originally not intended to effect until 1914, but which will now be carried out next October, giving two new army corps by the addition of .29,000 men to the increase provided in tho 1911 law. The cost of the increases will bo mot by tho surplus of 1911 and the imposition of new excise duties.