NAVY ESTIMATES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 5

NAVY ESTIMATES.

NEW BRITISH PROGRAMME. HVE MORE BATTLESHIPS TO BE BUILT. , i AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENCE. Tclecrapti—Press Assodaliqfc^CoDrrlEll*(Rcc. March 11,'0.4:' jv.m.) London,- Siftch 10. The Naval Estimates foi' ! 1911-12 have been introduced in 'ttp Iloifso of . Commons. They total £•«', an; increase of £3,788,800 .jon the,' previous year. _ j '/. , The personnel of the Navy/is to be increased by 3000, making a total of 134,000 of all ranks. The expenditure on shipbuilding and naval armament will be increased by £3,750,000. Of the total of £16,063,877 devoted to new construction, £13,325,000 will oe spent on tho continuation of works under construction, and £1,738,645 on new ships. The now programme of construction includes the following vessels:— Battleships 5 Protected cruisers ............ 3 Unprotected cruisers 1 Destroyers 20 Submarines 6 River gunboats 2 There will also be built a destroyer depot ship, and a hospital ship. j* Two of the battleships will be built at the Portsmouth and Devonport yards, and threo will bo built under contract. Mr. M'Kenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, records the Australian decision not to ask for an Imperial contribution to the Australian Navy, and states that the Admiralty has conveyed an expression of its cordial thanks to the Commonwealth for the additional relief this has given tho naval votes. An earnest investigation is proceeding into the best treatment for checking . the. spread of tuberculosis, in the Navy.

satisfactory on the whole. VIEWS OF "THE TIMES." (Rec. March 10, 11 p.m.) London, March 10. "Tho Times" states that the country will on the wliolo be satisfied with the new Naval Estimates. Tho First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, is, a man of great strength and independence of character, and it is inconceivable that ho would be responsible for Estimates which did not justify the assurance that Great Britain's naval supremacy will bo absolute, unassailable, and -unchallengeable.