GERMAN NAVY BILL PASSED BY THE REICHSTAG.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1908, Page 7

GERMAN NAVY BILL PASSED BY THE REICHSTAG.

By Xelcgraph.— Piee3 Association.— Copyright. BERLIN, 30th January. The Reichstag has passed Navy Bill, which involves great additions to the fleet, and vastly-increased expenditure. The Socialists and the Poles voted against the Bill. / The Minister of Marine, Admiral yon Tirpitz, in introducing the Bill to the Reichstag, said : "We, wish to bring our present stock pf ships up the level of the vessels of other nations, and to maintain them there. In consequence of technical developments a great number of our ships are no longer of the best type, and require speedy replacement. Further, in consequence of tho method of reckoning prescribed by the Navy- Acts, our vessels always get too much into the rear lilies. Every day we hear strong expressions from the Navy League as to the antiquated character of our vessels. They put a ship under the microscope and examine it to see if it corresponds to ,the latent requirements. That is ideal and radical,* but costs incalculable sums of money. The other way, which is proposed by the Federated Governments) is to reduce the life term of the ships. The time for reconsideration has now come. For a long time past I, havb discussed tho matter with Parliamentarians, and it was clear that we must keep to tho lowest limits, as other nations do. Technique is m florid, and tho ship 3 which are built to-d<iy will be superannuated in twenty-five years' time. I urge upon the House to keep the navy steadily up-to-dato. It is the surest, if not the only, guarantee for the consequential and systematic development of the fleet." The cable message is silent as to tho amount of opposition encountered by tho Bill, which was especially distasteful to the Socialists in view of the heavy deficit in this year's Budget.