THE WORLD'S NAVIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 44

THE WORLD'S NAVIES.

♦ TEN YEARS' EXPENDITURE. (Fboh Oob Own Cobeesfondent.; LONDON, August 27. The Admiralty has published a return of the expenditure of the principal naval Powers during the last 10 yeaTS. The total naval expenditure of Gr?at Britain in 1900-1901 was £29,998,529, and stea^'-v ros- to £36,859,681, the figures for 19041905. Since then it has remained between 31 millions and 33 millions, the estimate for 1909-1910 being £35,142,700, an increase of two millions over the fast few years

In 1900-1931 £9,783,146 was voted for new | construction and armaments, and £10,025,551 expended, while the amount of new construction was 167,7 5 tons. The estimated figures for this year are | £10.256,194, for new construction and armaments, which will amount to 87,395 tons. FRANCE. The naval expenditure of France in 1900 was just short of 15 millions, in the fo.lowing year it was 133, and the estimates for 1909 aro the highest since that date — j 13 1-3 millions. The amount voted for new construction has averaged about 5£ millions yearly, the present estimate of £5,760,176" being the highest for the 10 y?ars. The average amount of new construction has been about 25.003 tons yearly. ,

From left : Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald, Messrs W. C. Noot (President Wellington Trades and Labour Council), G. Nash, and the non. secretary, Georg? Willis (secretary Welingion and Wairarapa Hoppitcl and Charitable Aid Boards/. Sitting: Hon. J. E. Jenkinson, M.L.C.. Dr Newman (Mayor of Wellington), and Mr H. C. KirK Wellington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Board). During the r«-cent unemploj ment trouble in Wellington a committee of citizens was appointed to raise funds to provide work for tho unemployed. In all £2289 14s 4d was raised by public subscription, and the City Council granted £300 towards the fund fee work done about the city. The total amount sub<*cribe6 1 was all spent in wages, not a single penny being distributed as charity. During the operations of the committee 1100 applications for employment were made to the hen secretary (Mr George Willis), was only given to bona fide residents of Wellington, and consequently men just arriving from the country were not allowed to register.

RUSSIA. Russia's naval expenditure in 1900 and 1901 was about nine millions, but since then it has averaged about 10 of 11 millions,, and the amount voted for new construction has bsen about three millions yearly, although the estimates for the present year have fallen as low as £1,822,237. In 1900 the amount of ne-.v construction was 62,862 tons, but this figure was reduced by 10,000 in each of the suceeediir^ years, and last year had fallen to 1834 tons. GERMANY. Germany's naval expenditure from 1900 to 1901 was £7,643,781, but last year this amount has been more than doubled, and the present estimates as voted are £19,538,188. The amount voted for n«w construction and armaments has followed

similar lines rising from £3,401,907 to £10,751,463. The new tonnage figures last year jumped from an average of 45,000 tons up to 104,971 tone. ITALY. The yearly additions to Italy's navy have averaged 14,000 tons. Against five millions in 1900-1901, the present estimates put six and three-quarter millions, with two •arrd a-quarter millions for new construction and armaments, as against one and aquarter million in the earlier year. T7NITED STATES. The United States expended nearly 13i millions on her navy in 1900-1901, and by additions each year the figure has grown to 24i millions in 1905-1906. In the two succeeding years there was a reduction of about three millions, but in 1903-1909 i

This conference was held in Wellington during the present month, Lady Plunket, who has always taken a keen interest in thj affairs of the society, presiding. Front Row (from left) : Presidents, Mrs Theomin (Dunedin), Mrs Parkes (Auckland), Dr Platts Mills (Wellington), Mrs Morton (Christchurch), Mrs Dockrill (New Plymouth) Mrs Truby King. Middle Row: Mrs Chapman (Wellington), Miss Cook (Christchurch), Mise Thurston (Christchuroh), Dr Truby King, Mrs Mlac Vicar (secretary, Wellington), Mrs A. R. Atkinson (Wellington). Back Row: Mrs Young (Palmerston North, secretary), Mrs Etherington (Wellington,treasurer), Mrs Matthews (New Plymouth, secretary). — 'Muir and Markinlay, photo.

the expenditure went up again to 26£ millions, and for this year the estimates are ;28,778,777, with £10,015,101 for new construction and armaments. Last year the tonnage was 69,341. JAPAN. In the case of Japan figures axe only given for four years. In 1906-1907 the exipenditure on the navy was nearly four millions in 1907-1908 it was eight and a quarter, in 1908-1909 is was eight millions, and for 1909-1910 the estimates are seven and a-quarter millions. The amount voted for new construction and armament* in 1906-1907 was three-quarters of a million, and for the present year the sum of two and a-half millions. The tonnage added to the Japanese navy in 1906-1907 was 39,870, in the following year 56,450, and last year 1620.