THE BRITISH NAVY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5008, 4 July 1903, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

SUBSIDIES FOR MERCANTILE CRUISERS ABANDONED. (Received July 3, midnight.) LONDON, July 3. In Committee of bupply i n the House of .commons, on tho vote ox dJJ,.jVi,;jOO for contract work, Mr H. O. Aruoid-Forsler, Parliamentary Secretary to tho Admiralty, surprised and delighted his critics by announcing that tho Admiralty would not renew the subsidies to merchant cruisers. On April Ist Mr Forster will give a year’s notice of the termination of tho arrangement. . Air Forster said there aro other purposes which might bo served by subsidies, where something might bo obtained which it was impossible to obtain otherwise, but any* subsidies voted by Parliament ought to be administered by some central authority. It might bo expedient, ho added, to pay a subsidy for a very high rate of speed and for other qualifications. Air Robertson emphasised the fact that tho Naval Budget totalled 331 millions, including four millions for naval works. Tho bill for new construction, ho said, showed an increase of a million pounds. Mr Forster, in replying to the general criticisms, justified ttto mention in the Estimates of colonial contributions promised. It would bo discourteous not to mention them, he said, but confirmation of the promises given by tho colonial Proiniers was required before tho contributions could be paid. Air Forster, added that tho Admiralty Was eliminating from its list many defective ships, and asking that every ship retained should bo effective for war. At the end of 1903, he said, Britain would have a larger number of effective vessels than she had ever had before.(Received July 4, 1.3 a.m.) LONDON, July 3. Tho Admiralty’s suppression of tho retaining feo to mercantile vessels will save £77,813 per annum, commencing in 1905. AH Forster declined to explain how far tho Cunard Company, is affected! It is understood that any subsidy ia future is to, bo given to the fastest ships, which otherwise would not bo built.

THE AUSTRALIAN SUBSIDY.

(Received July 4. 1.17 a.m.) MELBOURNE, July 3. In tho federal Semite--a motion was proposed by Senator Higgs condemning tho “unwarrantable interference” iu federal politics on tho part of tho State Governor of Victoria (Sir George S. Clarke) by supporting a naval subsidy in the course of a lecture. The motion also condemned Sir John Forrest, federal Minister of Defence for seconding a vote of thanks to the Governor on tho occasion referred to. The debate was adjourned.