The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH 1S INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1914. NAVAL EXPENDITURE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 14, 7 May 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH 1S INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1914. NAVAL EXPENDITURE.

A standpoint with regard to sea armament expenditure which is to a great extent a new one, is introduced by Mr P. A. Hislam, who, by way of showing that nearly the whole of the money spent on Britain’s Navy comes back to the people in some form or other, analyses the original Naval Estimates for 1913-14, from which it is gathered that the number of officers and men provided for is 146,000, who are kept in full employment for the year at a cost of £8,399,200 for wages and £2,930,000 for victualling and clothing. On the building and equipment of ships, the writer says a total sum of £26,537,000 is being spent, and as 70 per cent .of this is the cost of labor, it follows that 178,000 men, at an average of £2 a week, are being employed for twelve months. Naval works—the construction of docks, depots for oil fuel, and items of a similar nature —account for another three and a half millions, the greater part of which goes to navvies and to men employed in the building trade; and by far the major part of the balance of five millions is accounted for by pensions, half-pay to officers and the maintenance of the Royal Naval Reserve. All told, it is unlikely that the Navy Estimates at their present level provide for the employment of less than 350,000 men and youths, while there are additional thousands who receive various amounts jin the shape of pensions and retainers. This is n phase of the subject which is too frequently lost sight of Iby those who denounce naval expenditure aa sheer “eeonomie waste.” Of jcourse this lookj all right so far as it goes, but those who argue with

much reason that the three hundred and fifty thousand men might be much better employed than in manning battleships, if only the nations could be persuaded to adopt a reasonable course, will not see, it. We seem, in any case, to ho a long way yet from the Millennium, and the building of battleships still proceeds. Mr Hislam’s reasoning may be therefore of some comfort to those who like to accept it.