THE GERMAN NAVY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2571, 4 August 1909, Page 5

THE GERMAN NAVY

A NEWSPAPER’S ADMISSION. SECRET ACCELERATION OF DREADNOUGHT BUILDING. i United Press Association —Copyright (Received August 3, 10.20 p.m.) BERLIN, August 3. The “Cologne Gazette” now admits that one of the four Dreadnoughts figuring on the German naval programme for the financial year 1909, was laid down before the end of the financial year 1908. TEN YEARS’ GROWTH—REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT. It is the enormous expansion of German naval power in the last ten years that is forcing Great Britain just now to launch upon a more active policy of construction than ever. Ten years ago, on the eve of the Boor war, the German fleet was inferior to those of both France and Russia. It numbered only 14 battleships, vessel for vessel decidedly inferior to vessels of similar type in the British navy, which then included no fewer than 47 battleships. Bv 1908 the number of German battleships had increased to 24, and that of the British to only 52. Thus the German battle fleet had been enlarged 71 per cent., to the 13 per cent, of the British battle fleet. At the same time there was an immense improvement in the quality of the German vessels, of their armament, and their personnel. Of the German battleships in 1899, the largest was only 11,700 tons, while Great Britain had 36 over 12,000 tons, including six of 15,000 tens. By 1908 Germany had in her fleet of 24 battleships two of 18,307 tons and two of 7,679 tons, with a total of 14 all larger than any ship owned by her in 1899. German naval expansion can he even more clearly understood from the stupendous growth of the German estimates. During the ten years ending 1888, while British expenditure on the navy averaged about £12,000,000, that of Germany averaged less than £2,500,000. In the following ten years the British outlay was about £18,500,000 annually, and the German still only a shade over £4,500,000. Then came the new German policy of aggressive construction. From 189 S onwards German expenditure has amounted to £10,865,000 a year, as against Great Britain’s £32,000.000. It is now over £16,000,000, and under the latest programme it will reach £23,000,000 in 1911. In the four years up to 1908 British expenditure on new construction decreased by an aggregate'sum of £11,000,000, while German .expenditure for that purpose increased by a total sum of £6,380,000. The German fleet is now being strengthened at the following rate:—One vessel of “Dreadnought” or “Indomitable” type every quarter; one cruiser of 25 knots every six months; one destroyer of nearly 700 tons every month; and one large submarine every month. When the present German programme, which provided for the expenditure of £200,000,000 on the navy in ten years is worked out in 1917 Germany will have 38 battleships, all less than 20 years of age, 10 Battleship cruisers, 40 other cruisers, and twelve dozen destroyers, with many submarines. This powerful fleet will not be scattered over the world as the British navy must perforce bo, but concentrated in German home waters, within a few hours’ sail of Great Britain.