NAVY ESTIMATES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13845, 7 March 1907, Page 7

NAVY ESTIMATES.

THE TWO-POWER STANDARD. SPEECHES BY MR BALFOUR AND THE PRIME MINISTER. * Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March' 6. t (Received March 6, at 9.3 p.m.) t Mr K. Robertson (Secretary of the l Admiralty), in explaining the Naval j Estimates, stated that tho Admiralty t believed that, the present programme i would adequately maintain the two-Power c standard. Russia, France, and Germany together added to their tonnage 1,108,280 in tlio past, decade, while Britain added e 1,132,205. The cost per ton was: Britain, t £88; Russia, £93; Germany, £97; , France, £124. ' s LONDON. March 6. i: (Received March 6, at 10.55 p.m.) e Mr Robertson showed that Britain's {. two-Power standard could not bo on- j dangercd for Hie next three years and a-half. Mr Balfour expressed tho liopo that when the time, of trial comes the Government would haw the strength and coitrago to propose,, and the House of Commons tho patriotism to support, any sacrifice that might be required lo mako Hie Empire safe against any combination of any two Powers of tho world. These words v/ero very warmly cheercd, and not the feast emphatic cheers of assent emanate® from tho benches immediately behind the Government. Mr Balfour at first thought Sic 11. CampbellPaiinermaii was not among those cheer- • ing, but tlm ttrime Minister immediately ■ corrected tho impression, and emphasised tho fact that, regarding tho proposals for lesser disarmament, Britain had no sinister purpose or desiro to force any Power to reduce its armaments, ■ ' •-