NAVAL ESTIMATES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9627, 16 March 1910, Page 5

NAVAL ESTIMATES.

STATEMENT BY MR McKENNA

Press Association—Electric T«les;rnph—Copyright.

Received Tuesday, 10.40 p.m. LONDON, Tuesday,

The Right Hon. R. McKouua, First Lord of the (.dmiraity, in the House of Commons, on the Navy Estimates, said they were neither excessivo nor insufficient. Two of the additional Dreadnoughts would be dookyard ships, and would be laid dowu iv January next. The remainder of tho Dreadnoughts under construction would likewise bo laid down in January. Mr McKeuna expressed the Government's gratification at the two groat Australasian Dominions' attitude in regard to the Natioual Navy. (Cheers.) The building of the' Australasian ships would shortly begin, and they would be completed iv the summer of 11)13, ready to leave Europe .in tho autamu ot 1912, when the others would be uearing completion. The speaker added that by March, li)ltf, thoro would be tweuty Dreadnoughts. Thus throughout 101.. till March, IUI3, our absolute superiority in Dreadnoughts would be secure. Respecting other classes, Mr McKouua said that our position was incomparable. He did not anticipate any serious reduction iv future Navy Estimates.

Replying to Lord Berestord's interruption about tho initiation of Dreadnoughts, Mr M.cKenmi declared that the first British Dreadnought was begun live months after the Japanese built tho Satsuma in 11103. He proceeded to emphasise the fact that there had been no decrease in tho foreign naval programme duriug the past year. Tho Admiralty's estimates wore framed according to what was being done abroad vow and in the next two years.