CABLEGRAMS Home and Foreign.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 4962, 26 March 1912, Page 3

CABLEGRAMS

Home and Foreign.

United Press Association. By Electric Telegraph— Copyright.

Germany's Forces. Berlin, March 24. New Defence Bills which provide for substantial increases in the German army and navy votes during the ’ next few years, have been published. The proposed increases, which total £25,000,000, spread over five years, are as follows: Army. Navy. £. £. 1912 4,850,000 750,000 1913 6,350,000 1,400,000 1914 5,700,000 1,900,000 1 1915 1,900,000 1916 2,150,000 Provision is made in the Naval Bill for the building of an extra battleship every second year, beginning in 1913. The new naval construction programme altogether includes the addition of three battleships, two small cruisers, a number of submarines, and some airships. The Bill proposes to remedy two defects in the present organisation. One consists of the dismissal of naval reservists every autumn, thus diminishing the readiness of the battle fleet. The second defect is that out of the budget strength of 59 ships only 21 are available if the reserve fleet cannot be got ready promptly. It is proposed to remedy these defects by the gradual formation of a ! third active squadron. 1 The Army Bill provides for the acceleration of the strengthening of the peace forces. It was not intended that this should lake effect until 1914, but it will now (if the Bill is passed) be carried out as from next October, by creating two new Army Corps by the addition of 29,000 men to the increase provided for in 1911. The increases of expenditure will be met by the surplus of 1911 and by new excise duties. The Conservative.newspapers regret the army is not utilising the rapid growth of the population. Four hundred thousand are available for service annually, but of these 256,000 are not used. Soldiers number .788 per cent, of the population, compared with .98 ir 1873. German Anglophobia. London, March 25. Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, in a letter to the Times, says that Mr Churchill would have been wiser if ho had mapped out a policy for the defence of the Empire, calling in the help of the Dominons, without reference to any power. He compliments Mr Churchill on the new war organisation of the Home fleets, and states our low margin in the fighting line, compared with Germany and Austria in 1915, involves risk of reserve. Goa) and Electricity. Received 9.30 p.m., 25th. London, March 25. |Mr William Ramsay, of the Smoke Abatement Society says it is possible to sink a shaft in coal-bearing strata, and admit the oxygen required to burn the coal,and draw off the gas for producing electric power at the pit head. He believes it is possible to manufacture sitxeen units of electricity for a penny and transmit it two hundred miles. Anglo-Russian Troubles. London, March 25. Lord Robson (ex-Attorney-Gene-ral), at the International Arbitration League dinner, questioned whether the facts in the misunderstandings between Britain and Germany could be usefully referred to judicial arbitration. There was no real ground of quarrel. Sir Geo. H. Reid (Australian High Commissioner) responded to the toast of International Peace. A Prompt Settlement. London, March 25. The underwriters have paid £750,006 insurance on the bullion, totalling a million sterling, which sank with the P. and O. steamer Oceana. This is the promptest settlement on record for so large a sum. African Bank Merger. London, March 25. The Bank of Africa and the National Bank of South Africa are arranging to amalgamate. Turco-ltalian War. Vienna, March 25. The Pester Lloyd states that the Kaiser’s visits to the Emperor Francis Joseph and King Emmanuel of Italy encourage the hope that a co-ordinated attempt is to be made to promote a settlement of the Turcoltalian conflict. South Africa's Budget. Capetown, March 25. The Union Parliamentary Budget shows a surplus of £146,000. The combined debt totals £114,237,000. Fresh taxation is proposed which it is anticipated will raise an additional £1,913,000. Two Airmen Killed. St. Petersburg, March 25. Two military aeropianists, while flying at Sevastapol, fell and were killed. Fanning Island Deposits. London, Maich 25. A company with a capital of £200,000 is being formed to work the phosphate deposits and to grow copra on Fanning Island. Assassinated. Received 9.30 p.m., 25th. U Constantinople, March 25. „ A Greek assassinated Kopassus Effendi, Governor of Samos, with a revolver. The deed is attributed to Effendi’s sympathies with the Ottoman authorities. The Dardanelles. Received 9 30 p.m., 25th, Constantinople, March 25. Porpoises exploded a number of mines in the Dardanelles, and ships fear to make the passage. French Loans. Received 9.30 p.m., 25th. Paris, March 25. The Municipal Council recommends a loan of eight million sterling to provide cheap artisans’ dwellings. The twelve-million sterling State railway loan was subscribed thirty-two-fold. Persia. Received 9.38 p.m. 25th. Teheran, March 25. Salar Eddowleh refuses the Government’s sugestion to quit Persia in exchange for a pension, and demands the district of Kermanshas as a principality. Fatal Fire. Received 9.15 a.m., 2Cth. London, March 25. A block of tenements at Dartmouth was destroyed by fire, Mrs Maud Cal lard and three of her children being burnt to death, while a fourth was thrown from a window and grievously injured. Mrs Ash carried her mother and Mr Callard, who were unconscious, safely out of tho building.