NAVAL EXPENDITURE

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 65

NAVAL EXPENDITURE

LONDON, July 4. The resolution forming the basis of the Naval Works Bill for two years, providing for £6,750,000 expenditure on old items aud £1,250,000 on new items, has been agreed to. Mr E. G. Pretynian, Civil Lord of the Admiralty, stated that the Admiralty had decided that the items now included in this series of bills were final, although the Estimates, which altogether amounted to £31,750,000, were not final. Thirteen and three-quarter millions had already been voted, making, with the present bill, £21,000,000. The new items, he added, include electric light installation at all the naval establishments in the Empire, a new gunnery school at Devonport, and the transformation of. the Sheerness dockyard into a depot for large repairs of all torpedo Boat destroyers, increased dock accommodation at Chatham, and the initial expenditure on tne naval station at St. Margaret's Hope. This base would be called Ro«yth. He also said that, supposing the total expenditure under the series of bills would be £40,000,000, that sum would be spread over 20 years, and would not exceed £2,000,000 annually, or, adding maintenance generally, £3,000,000. The statement was well received.