THE COST OF KEEPING OUR NAVY.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 63, 13 September 1890, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE COST OF KEEPING OUR NAVY.

It may be taken that the cost of our Navy for one year is in round figures £14,000,000 ; the Navy Estimates for 1889-90 put it down as £13,685,400. If, however, a few more battle-ships similiar tothe Nile, of 1 1 ,940 tons, and costing£l ,000,000, were built, this sum would soon run up, but the fourteen millions may be taken to represent the ordinarydemands of the Navy. The efficient strength of our Naval service is little short of 65,400 of all ranks, the petty officers and seamen forming by far the greater proportion of this number, there being some 37,000 bluejaefcets. For one year tho wages of officers, seamen and boys, coastguards and Royal Marines amounted to £3,230,094 16s. 7d. Then there iB the victualling and the clothing, whichcomes out at £1,201,974 ss. Bd., and in this sum will be fouM £5,152 13s. 6d. as part of the police force ; £11,795 7s. 7d. for beer money and excess cost of rations to Koyal Marines on shore, and close on £143,000 for " Jack's " clothing, soap and tobacco. And now we come to divine service. Chaplains in the Navy are not allowed to receive payment at ally time when officiating on shore. The full pay and allowances of chaplains is £25,708 9s. 7d.; half-pay of chaplains,.£9s4 13s. lOd. 5 and allowances to ministers of religion, £3,580 12s 5d., altogether, with a few sundries, some £31,420. We look in at the Admiralty in Whitehall; The salaries, wages and allowances come to £212,46* 7s. lOd. — a very good wageß list. In this amount comes the salaries of the Lords of the Admiralty. There is the First Lord, with £4,500 a year and a house to live in, and the following in addition to half-pay : — First Naval Lord (with a house), £1,500 ; Second Naval Lord (with £200 for a residence), £1,200; Junior Naval Lord (with £200 for a residence). £1,200 ; and an Additioual Naval Lord, £1,200. The Civil Lord has £1,000 a year. The travelling expenses in connection with the " Admiralty " come to over £5,880. The books at the " Admiralty" contain some remarkable entries. Referring to a Bum of £1 9s. 6d. written against the name of a deceased grocer of Chatham, the explanation is that '•' this man periodically purchased the dripping from the Royal Naval Hospital at Chatham. The amount for Lady-day quarter, 1888, not having been paid, inquires were made, and it was ascertained that Mr. Waghorn had died in the Union." In an account with the Sultan of Muscat, £3 19b. 2d. appears. It relates to seven "hundred and sixty pounds weight of biscuit issued to theS.S. Sultanee, by Her Majesty's ship Turquoise. The supply was made when the vessel was in a perilous condition, and the crew in a state of want, and has been regarded as an act of humanity and friendship rather than a supply for which payment should be demanded. We could quote many other such curiosities, for instance, a little item of £2 17s. Whether it was the policeman's mistake or the prisoner's we do not know, but this matter of three pounds all but three shillings was " Expenses incurred by a police constable bringing this man, who described himself as a deserter from H.MS. Minotaur, on board the Royal Adelaide. It was then discovered that the man did not belong to the Nary, and he was discharged. Steps have been taken to avoid the possibility of similar expenses being incurred in future." An interesting corner is that connected with scientific services. Some British telescopes cost considerably over £1.000 each, and the instruments are all made alike, so as to ensure the same result. Such special telescopes as are usedf or photographing the heavens are estimated to cost £2,000 each. This departmentcosts £65, 823 30 3d. In this amount come the expenses attached tothe Royal Observatory at Greenwich — a Bum approaching £8,000 ; that at the Cape of Good Hope, some £4,470. We note, included in this laßt-named sum, £1,000 for expenses in connection with the photographic mapping of the heavens. There is an item of £13,964 Is. Bd. for preparing charts and £2,422 14s 5d in connection with " chronometers." The Dockyard work is the most important branch. Its cost approaches the sum of £4,212,154. together with the contract work. Out of this, close upon £1,400,000 goeß in salaries and allowances of men, and hire of teams in our dockyards at home. The police under this heading athomecoßt £34 916 16s sd, and the custodians abroad £11,081 15s. 4d. The coals for steam vessels cost £340,793 Is. 2d. per annum; freight, £35,175 18s. 2d.; Naval stores, £816,905 10b. 5d. ; and the gas bill in dockyards in England and abroad is £7,067 15s. Od. Gun mountings and torpedo carriages and gear come to £252,049 15s. 3d. Then turning to naval armaments, there istheaumof £1,778,094 105. 6d. In this last amount the guns appear at £447,392 Bs. It may be taken that 64-pounders cost £294 each, 38ton guns £3,199 each, and so we run to 80 tons at £9,811 each. We have guns in our Navy of 100 tons, throwing a projectile able to penetrate at l.OOOyds. through 32£ in. of wrought iron. The ammunition and projectiles cost £776,828 19s. 3d.; torpedoes and gun cotton, £125,804 75. ; and small arms, etc., £353,684 18s. 6d. Many new buildings, too, are erected in the course of twelve months. £1,017 13s. is expended for chapels; £21,122 16s. 4d. for coastguard stations, £2,065 9s. for observatories; £13,238 Bs. 3d. for breakwaters ; £17,651 6s. 7d. for hospitals and infirmaries ; and £1,797 17s. 5d for prisons. Here are a few interesting items : — The salaries and contingencies in connection with the Nautical Almanac amount to £3,392 Bb. 4d. ; £4,640 38. 2d. for water police; £12,483 18s. for piloting and towing Her Majesty's Bhips ; £3,146 4s. lid. expenses attendant on Commanders-in-Chief; £3,534 13s lid. allowances for stationery, etc., onboard; the sum of £75 14s. for assistance rendered to Her Majesty's Bhips

when in distress; and £52,948 15s. Bd. compensation for damages done by our vessels"* i>ss 11b. 4d. was spent in twelve months on medals for officers, soamen, and marines. The Naval Pensions come to £750,649 19s. 7d., including £247 14s. 9d., a small amount when it is remembered it is for "conspicuous bravory." Tho Widows' Pensions and Compassionate Allowances run up to £165,215 4s. 9d.