ESTIMATES FOR 1910.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 56, 11 March 1910, Page 5

ESTIMATES FOR 1910.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE £50,000,000 A LIBERAL PROGRAMME.

[press association.]

(Received March 10, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. In the House of Commons yesterday the Naval Estimates were introduced. They provide a total expenditure of £50,603,700. The personnel of the Navy is to be increased to 131,GQ0. New construction will cost £13,279,839, of which £11,850,790 will be spent on vessels already under construction, and the balance used* r for beginning the work of the new programme, which will be composed of five large armoured ships, five protected cruisers, twenty destroyers, and a number of submarines which will cost three-quarters of a million. This is independent of four contingent battleships and the New Zealand and Australian vessels, tenders for which are now being considered.

During the year five battleships, two unarmoured cruisers, nine destroyers, six torpedoers and sixteen submarines liave been completed. There will be under construction on April Ist seven battleships, three armoured cruisers, nine protected ■cruisers, two unarmoured cruisers, 37 destroyers, nine submarines, and two floating docks capable of taking the biggest battleships. The docks will be completed in 1911, and stationed on the Medway and at Portsmouth. Mr McKenna stated that the aeronautical branch was conducting important experiments. Airships would be completed for trials this summer. Very satisfactory reports had been received, added Mr MdKenna, concerning fhe first batch of Australian and New Zealand ratings, trained in England.