£16,000,000 PER WEEK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2343, 28 December 1914, Page 3

£16,000,000 PER WEEK

■ WHAT THE NAVY ;SAVES US. In the course of an article on "NoNaval Battle-^-Why?' , which appears in the ourrent iseue of the Fortnightly Review," Mr, Archibald Hurd ea™ that the German leet, which during the'past IS years cost £300,000,000 to maintain, has completely failed to. fulfil any single one of the hopes on which it was based. Declaring that the British people would do well, to, be duly grateful' for 'the blessings which have T>een theire owing, to naval predominance, during the'past three months, Mr. Hurd says that in the absence of complete command" of the sea the British people would have had to face the following weekly bill:— Increase in the cost of food; by 50 per cent.,, raiemg the outlay'per •head of the population from Bs.: to 12s. a week, £9,000,000. • Decline in wages bill, about £2,000,000. • . . ...•■■■■.• Increase in cost of other necessities and luxuries, £2)000,000. ■ Loss of shipping, £1,000,000. Decline in national income from investments, £2,000,000; < Total lose per week, £16,000,000. We thus Teach, the conclusion, adds Mr. Hurd, that during the past three months of war the navy has been paying dividends to the nation at the rate of, £16,000,000 per week,..without, taking into account the fact that it has spared us moral and intellectual damages which are incalculable. Battlo or no battle in the North Soa, 'the people of the United Kingdom, not to mention the peoples of tho far-flung Dominions, have roason for satisfaction that during tho years which preceded war'they turned a deaf ear to those :who urged that the expenditure on the fleet should be reduced. . .