NAVY ESTIMATES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1388, 14 March 1912, Page 5

NAVY ESTIMATES.

DECREASE IN EXPENDITURE.

FOUR NEW LARGE ARMOURED SHIPS.

STATEMENT BY FIRST LORD

By Tcleiraph-Fress Association -Copyright (Rec. March 13, 11.50 p.m.) London, March 13. The Naval Estimates were introduced i» the House of Commons by Mu\ Churchill, Ifirst Lord of the Admiralty, yesterday. They total JM 1,085,100. a decrease of .0307,100 over those of last year. The shipbuilding vote shows a decrease of X 1.230,000, but the other votes increased by .£928,(100. Theso increases are due to the growing cost and number of the personnel, the rise in prices, and the greater quantities of fuel required owing to the increasing horse-power of the vessels. The new construction will cost .£13,971,527, this sum including an expenditure of ■£12,007,727 on ships belonging to old programmes. Tor the beginning of ships on the new programme n sum of ,61,903,800 is set down. The new programme includes the following vessels-.— i Large armoured ships. 8 Light armoured cruisers. 20 Destroyers.-' A number of submarines will also Ims built. The personnel of the fleet, which stands ' at 131,000, is to be increased by 2000 men. The total cost of the new programme is ■£12,47-1,400, as compared with .£13,200,000 in 1911. . The proportion of the new programme to be put in hand during the coming year will be larger than usual, and tho whole of the torpedo destroyers will be begun immediately. , Mr. Churchill states that the Estimates have been framed on the assumption that the existing programmes of the Powers will not bo increased. Otherwise it will be necessary to present Supplementary Estimates.

REDUCTIONS IMPOSSIBLE. 3y Telegraph-Press Associatlon-OopyritlDl London, March 12. "The Times" says it is understood that in the final settlement of the Navy Estimates it was found impossible to make the reductions which tho Ministerialists desired, owing to delays in shipbuilding unduly increasing the ensuing year's expenditure.