NAVY ESTIMATES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 1 March 1939, Page 5

NAVY ESTIMATES

TOTAL OF £153,666,681 NEW CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME PROVISION FOR NEW ROYAL YACHT IC PA.-Bv Electric Telecrauh-UopvnebU (Received Ist March, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, 28th March. The Navy Estimates for 1909 arc £153,666,681, an incerasc of £2,471,500. The new construction programme is increased by two destroyer flotillas, 20 escort vessels and ten The year’s programme. therefore, provides for the two capital ships, one aircraft carrier, four cruisers, two des trover flotillas, 22 escort vessels, ten mine-sweepers, one river gunboat, one hospital ship, six motor torpedo boats and two boom defence vessels. It also includes provision for a new Royal Yacht replacing the Victoria Albert. The cost of the 1939 programme is £60.500,000 excluding the Royal Yacht and the battleships Duke of York. Jellicoe and Beatty, which will be launched during the current year. A high Admiralty official stated that the estimates would almost certainly be even higher in 1940. Two hundred ships were being constructed in 1939. The King intimated that in the event of war the Royal Yacht would be used as a hospital ship. A sum of £11.750,000 at present is being devoted to the Fleet air arm. STRANGE DISCREPANCY A strange discrepancy which is puzzling everybody is that the Admiralty’s bulk total of the Navy estimates is £153.660,681 while the First Lord of the Admiralty. Earl Stanhope’s figure is £147.779,000. which does not appear anywhere in the Admiralty’s table yet forms the basis for comparison with last year's figures. The Admiralty includes effective and non-effective services. It promises elucidation later.