THE NAVY.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1135, 16 March 1910, Page 2

THE NAVY.

DEBATE ON BRITAIN'S ESTIMATES.

MINISTER McKENNA SPEAKS

ALSO REPLIES TO SOME QUESTIONS.

•'UNWARRANTABLE," SAYS THE LABOUR LEADER. "NOT ENOUGH!" CRIES BERESFORD. [BY ELECTRIO TELEGRAPH —COPYRIGHT.] PEE PRBBB ASSOCIATION. London, March 15. The Hon. Reginald Mclienna, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking in committee on tlie Navy Estimates, said these were neither excessive nor insufficient. Two of the five additional Dreadnoughts would be dockyard ships, laid down in January, and the remainder under construction would likewise ho laid in January. He expressed the Government's (gratification at the co-operation of Australia and New Zealand with the national navy. (Cheors.) The Australasian ships would shortly be begun, would bo completed in the summer of 1912, and would leave Europe in the autumn of 1912, w-hen v the others were nearing completion. He added that by March, 1913, there would be twenty Dreadnoughts. Thus throughout 1912 till March, 1913, our absolute superiority of Dreadnoughts was secure. Respecting other classes, our position was incomparable, and it was not anticipated that there would be any serious reduction in future estimates. Replying to Lord Beresiord's inter - ruption about the initiation of the j Dreadnoughts, Mr McKeima declared that the first British Dreadnought >vas begun Jive montns a iter japan's sacsuma engagement, m IvOH. xie proceeded tv einpnasise tbe fact tUat, mere Uad* been no decrease in tlie loreign naval programmes lor the past year and that tne Admiralty's uad ueen irauied according to wnat was ' Deingj done abroad now and for the next two years. Keplyiug to turther questions, Mr -Uc ivenna added that thirteen Getlnan.Ureacuiough'ts were now m. course oi construction, and four more tor r9IU and 1911 would possrblv be laid down in April and commissioned :_fc> months afterwards, no hoped that the tact that the Admiralty were providing against any contingency would not give rise to the iear that a friendly nation is accelerating ite naval programme with any hostile design against us. Mv Mcivenua admitted tnat the dockyard slips were idle between September and January, but remarked that the urgent need for more ships had not then been proved. Air Lee criticised the Government tor 'starving the shipbuilding vote, -he estimates of the United States •toi tallied (together £50,000,000. He urged the Government to make clear that -further etsimates were possible during the present session. 'Mr Geo. Barnes, leader of the Labour Party, described the estimates as unwarrantable. The Liberals had i surrendered the principle of economy at the dictation of the Opposition. Mr Mcivenua, correcting Mr Barnes, said that Germany's estimates for 1910 and 1911 were considerably in excess of last year. Lord Charles Beresford feared the Government was delaying the live Dreadnoughts. The one bright spot was the provision for destroyers, but the fleet was not strong enough and the estimates for 1911 would be appalling. He urged a loan of sixtylive millions, spread over twenty or thirty years, for building al lthe ships required by 1914. (Received March 16, 8.45 a.m.) . London, March 15. Speaking in the House of Commons, the Hon. Reginald McKenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, said the (Admiralty intended to make greater use of oil fuel and "had taken steps, to secure supplies from independent sources.

GABLE NEWS.