THE NAMAL ESTIMATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2762, 17 March 1910, Page 4

THE NAMAL ESTIMATES.

Mr Asquith’s Government, while carrying out a patriotic duty, has done more to retrieve its position with the electors by providing for a supreme navy than by any other of its recent actions. In increasing the Estimates for naval requirements, the Government lias admitted .the mistake of >ts past policy, and has given a pracfe-al assurance to the country that, having •became fully awakened to the gravity of the situation, it can be trusted to handle it in a statesmanlike manner. The following table showing the total Navy Estimates and the amounts toted for new ships and their guns m recent years by Britain and Germany will be of interert at the present stage:

it will be noted that the latest Bill to be presented to the English taxpayers is of huge dimensions, but, -is ail political parties in England now admit, a great sacrifice is necessary r national safety is to be conserved. Mr McKenna, the First Lord of the Ad miralty, is now able to assure ihe country that the utmost activity on the part of Germany will not enable her to overtake Britain's naval strength for some years to come. Germany now has Id Dreadnoughts under '•ou?t,u:etion, and may possibly lay down four mere in April next. Allowing two years for their construction they w-.Kiid then .have seventeen by June, if'ld. During the whole of this period Ur McKenna says, Britain’s superiority in Dreadnoughts will be secure aml u\ March. 1913, we -hall have twenty completed. Respecting other classe- of vessels, he adds, “our position is incomparable.’’ This certainly should le so, for, after the cost of the new Dreadnoughts is deducted, there wu: .‘till be th e enormous sum ci £37,Cut),000 to bo spent. It is true that two floating decks are to be constructed and the personnel of the navy is to lie increased by 3000 men, but there will be still many millions left for strengthening the navy in its general branches-. It would seem that those responsible for or.r maritime supremacy are by no means, disposed to look upon Dreadnoughts as the last word that can be said in naval defence. Evidently destroyers, submarines, torpedoes, etc., are still considered a source of great strength, to a nation, and in these branches Britain has long held an enormous superiority, and evidently intends to retain it. The total British vote for 1910. it will be noted, is more than double that of Germany, so that provided the money is spent equally well, there should be no uneasiness in the near future concerning the rupremacy of the sea.

New ShipsTotal Estimates, Year. Britain. Germany. Britain Germany- £ .1* .£• Jl 1905 ... 11,-201,000 4,9)3 000 33ili.0,0(0 11,310.000 iDOti ... 1U.35J.00J 0,31-2,000 :-u,4oo,ooo 12,00.7,000 1907 - 9,227,000 li,235,0UU 31.200,000 44,227,000 1!)US ... , t-.ObO.O'Uj 3,306,000 32 3000,00 16,556 000 1909 ... 10,-2015.0110 10,701.000 oo.ooo 19,533,000 1910 ••• 13.279,339 J2,000,000 50,603,700 22,000,000