RUSSIA'S NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1134, 23 May 1911, Page 5

RUSSIA'S NAVY.

-■ e-» DUMA VOTES THIRTY MILLIONS. By Telesrapli—Press Association—Oopyrlelit St. Petersburg, May 21. The Duma voted thirty million pounds sterling for an immediate programme of j shipbuilding. The programme provides for four Dreadnoughts and six submarines for the Black Sea fleet, and' four - Dreadnoughts for the Baltic, in addition to four to be launclicd in July .next. DELAYED CONSTRUCTION. Naval construction in Russia was during 1910 in a state of something like suspension, owing mainly to financial difficulties. It is possibio that these may now lie surmounted, as in consequenco of the appointment of a special commission in August to investigate naval abuses, tho St. Petersburg correspondent of "Tho Times" was able to writo in that month, "The measure is regarded as a victory for tho Duma, which is now likely to vote a special grant for shipbuilding." Tho four battleships which were laid down at St. Petersburg on Juno 10, 1909, and which it was hoped to launch in 1911 have made slow progress. It lias twice been reported that the number of workmen on theso ships had been reduced, and also that money provided for their construction had been used for some moro urgent purpose. Apart from these four vessels, there wero six armoured ships in hand of earlier programmes during 1910, five of which it was hoped would be commissioned during 1011. In the Estimates, for 1911 the Minister for Marine proposed to lay down four Dreadnoughts at Sebastopol and Nicolaieff. These vosscls arc to displace 23,000 tons and with engines of 42,000 li.p. to have a speed of 23 knots. Tho proposed armament is ten 13in., 20 4.7 in., and 20 smaller guns.i In the schemo there aro also 12 torpedo boat's and 12 submarines.