THE BRITISH NAVY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12698, 16 March 1910, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

ON THE ESTIMATES

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph— Copyright)

LONDON. March lo

Mr McKenna, First liord " of the Admiralty, m committee on the .Navy estimates, said that these were neither excessive nor insufficient. two ot U:o live additional Dreadnoughts would be dockyard ships, laid ■ down m January, i'ne reulatnuer, under turj-iriuti j.\, would likewise be hud uown n: January. He expressed the Coveri'.nusia s grauhoation at the connection of the two great Australasian, dominions M^th the nationail -'/navy'. (Cheers.) The Australasian'ships would shortly be begun, and would be completed m the sunnmer of 1912. . They would leave Europe m the - autumn ot 1912, -when the others would beVnearing completion. He added that . by March lfci3, our absolute superiority '"'in, Dreadnoughts would be secure. Respecting other classes ot vesseels, our position , was incomparable. He did not; anticipate any serious .reduction m future estimates. .

Replying to Lord Charles Beresford's interruption about the initiation of Dreadnoughts, Mr McKenna declared that the rirst .British ; Dreadnought* was begun live months after tlie Japanese Satsuma (th^ [Japanese' Dreadnought) m 1903. He proceeded ,„ to' emphasise m fact that . there . had I>een - no 'increase , m foreign naval programmes last year, and said that th© Admiralty's programme had been frariied 1 according to what .was being done abroad now and m the next two years.

Mr McKenna, replying to questions, added that .thirteen German Dreadnoughts are /being now . constructed! Four more for 1910. and 1911 would possibly:-belaid;dOwn m 'April, and commissioned 26 months Vafterwards. .He hoped that -ithe. ; f ttefc ■. of "-the British ' Adtairalty ■•;' providing .against any contingency would ' not give rise to fear' that a friendly, hatioh.cwas its program)rie ' with any 'hostile' design against us. ' , - ' 7

Mr Al,cßeriria"\ adriiitted • that the dockyard slips Vwere;! i,dle between September and January^;- but ueniarhed that , the urgent l nefed) 'for.i.morje .ships avos riot proved, --' ;,, .v'; ; .-, ,7. '77 -,-•■' ' . '' ' '. ■■■ ■] Major Lee, ...' Conservative member - for Fareham, ;erita<nsed : .^ starving j. the shipbuilding Jvote7 He urged - the Government' to make : '.ifcV dear that further esthriates were possible . during the; present z session. Mr Bafries,: Labor member for Black- . friars, Glasgow, described " the estiriiates as;, unwarrantable, and -said the Liberals haift surrendered the principle of economy at the dictates of the Opposition. * Mr „MoKenn.a> . . Air • Barries, stated itli^^G^ijm^ariy^s estimates for 1910 and : ;l9il' ,^ve^o. coinride^abry ihv excess of those foi" the -past ye^tf. . ' ;L6rd i G^rles^ '■Beresford feared that the ' ; Gbverririteht. avos, delaying five Dyeodribuights.' '. /One;? .bright spot, was the providing of destroyers; but the fleet was/iipt strong enough. The estimates for 1911, Avould be appalling. Hie urged raising a loan' of 65 millions, spread over twenty ; or-' •thirty . years, and /building all . the ships 'required by 19147 _ ..

(Received March 16, 9 a.m.) '. Iri the House iof >\ Commons Mr , McKenna said the; Admiralty intended .to make the greatest ?u/je of all. fuel,' and had taken steps to \ secure supplies from independent" sources.i •',- " 7 ..^