The Ensign. SATURDAY, May 21, 1910. COST OF THE NAVY.

Mataura Ensign, 21 May 1910, Page 4

The Ensign. SATURDAY, May 21, 1910. COST OF THE NAVY.

On account of the unusual activity in naval matters during the last year or two the Estimates for this year are of more than usual interest. They amount to £40,603,700 as compared with £35,142,700 for the previous year, which is the greatest increase for any year during the last decade. Since 1901-2 the Estimates have increased by nearly 25 per cent., although in 1904-5 they were in the vicinity of £37,000,000. The principal increases occur under the heads of pay of personnel (£109,200), victualling and clothing (£83,500), ordnance (£400,000), and repairs, maintenance, etc. (£4,634,900), and the only decreases come under the headings "martial law and educational services," an insignificant total of £3700. The numbers required for manning the fleet are 3000 more than were asked for the previous year. In the matter of shipbuilding new construction for the year will cost £13,279,830 as against £8,885,194 for 1909-10, and of the former amount £11,850,790 will be spent on the continuation of work on ships already under construction and £1,429,040 for beginning work on ships -for the new programme. This new programme comprises five large armored ships, five protected cruisers, 20 destroyers and a number of submarines estimated to cost a sum of three-quarters of a million. On April 1 last five battleships, two mi.armored cruisersj nine destroyers, six first-class torpedo boats and 16 submarines were completed and became available for service, and at the same date there were under construction

seven, battleships, three armored, nine protected and two unanwored cruisers, 37 torpedo-boat destroyers and nine submarines. The following; comparative statement gives an excellent idea of the enormous expenditure entailed in maintaining the supremacy -of the British Navy::--Total '-N-e-w Year. "Expenditure, Construction. £ ~ .£ 11901-5 30,981,315 8,865,080 1902-3 31,003,977 8,534,917 1903-4' ■ 35,709,477 11,115,733 1904-5 36,859,681 11,263,019 1905-6 33,151,841 9.688.044 1906-7 31,472,087 '8,861,897 1907-8 31,251,156 7,832,589 1908-9 32,181,309 7,406,930 1909-10 35,142,700 8,885,194 (estimated) 1910-11 40,603,700 13,2/9,830 (estimated) . In introducing the Estimates Mr McKenna said that no man could stand at the table and present estimates of such a gigantic total as £40,000,000 without a very serious sense of responsibility. Nothing but the imperative need of safeguarding the security of our country would justify such a total. Referring to the two schools of thought, those who thought all expenditure on armaments superfluous, and those who are never satisfied with any expenditure, however great, Tie remarked that it always appeared to him that as regards those extremists the amount of the estimates is immaterial. Naturally these facts and figures possess significance for the overseas dominions, particularly in the face of what they have offered to do in regard to helping themselves in respect to naval protection. Those undertakings are succinctly put in the following extract from the Estimates:—Canada and Australia propose to form navies of their own, but New Zealand has decided to give an armored ship to the Royal Navy as well as to continue its monetary contributions as before. The Australian and New Zealand Governments have passed Acts authorising the construction of two ar- . moved cruisers of the Indefatigable type, tenders for which are now under consideration, and in the case of the Commonwealth throe protected cruisers, destroyers and submarines. ..The Canadian Government has purchased the Rainbow, a second-class cruiser, for use as a.training ship, and is negotiating for the purchase of the first-class cruiser Niobe. It is understood that protected cruisers are also to be constructed in Canada.