The Feilding Star, Osoua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, APRIL 28. 1896. THE POWER OF ENGLAND.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 251, 28 April 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Osoua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily.

TUESDAY, APRIL 28. 1896.

THE POWER OF ENGLAND.

«. NOTHING has been more remarkable in England's naval history than the in creased rapidity of ship-building within the past few years. One result, says the London correspondent of tbe Dunedin Star, of this unexampled speed ia that the construction of tbe guns and the training of the men has to commence as soon as the ship is laid down. No difficulty exists as to crews, for Mr Goschen said, " When we enlist three thousand boys in the navy, we take one in ten of those who pre sent themselves." Even then it is doubted .whether there are enough sailors for tbe ships in existence. There are now under construction eight battleships and twenty-one cruisers, to say nothing of forty-one de sf-royers. For the twenty-nine ships the Admiralty propose an increase of 4,900 men of all sorts, or less than 170 men eacb. But the eight battleships will require 4,800 men, and there will be left for the twenty-one cruisers and the forty-one destroyers just 100 men ! Then there are to be of new construction five battleships ; four Arateiast, ; v three second class, and six third-class ergifiers ; as well as twentyeight destroyers. &$ we reckon it, these will require 7,006 oj_c. Where are they to come from ? The sofu&m | of the problem lies with the Naval Reserve, hut even that is said to be inadequate. Mr Goschen 's estimates for new constiucttan are as follows : — There are at present building or completing 8 battleships, 21 cruisers, and 40 torpedo-boat destroyers, mostly began by Lord Spencer. To these, it is now proposed to add 5 battleships, 4 first-class cruisers, 3 second-class 1 cruisers, and 38 torpedo boat destroy--1 ers The cruisers will ba of the j type of the Diadem, Talbot, and Pc j lorus respectively. The demand for I torpedo-boat destroyers is described as ' oi such " extraordinary urgency " that

Mr Goschen has assumed the responsibility of ordering eight of them in advance of the assent of the House. The five new battleships, tbe designs for which have been approved by Sir William White, are to be improved Renowns — a decision which possibly may give occasion for some discussion. They will be about 12,000 tons, or about 2000 tons less than the Majestic. In tbe course of tbe year we shall have no less than 13 battleships under construction, and it is expected to finish the whole of the Spencer ships and of the new ships by July, 1899. The third-class cruisers and the tor- 1 pedo boat destroyers ought to be ready in thirteen months from their com mencement, and they are to be put in hand at once. The total cost of the the new construction is set down as £7,385,000, as against £5,393,000 in 1895-96. The general results of our expenditure during recent years in shipbuilding, as stated by the First Lord, are certainly striking. Tho Naval Defence Act cost £21,800,000. The joint programme of Lord Spencer and tbe present Government will cost between £28,000,000 and £29,000,000 more. In all we shall have expended on this branch of our naval defences £55,000,000 in tbe ten years between 1889 and 1899. " The suni>" says the Times, "is a vast one, and it forms but one item, though a heavy item, in the total cost of our navy. Yet we feel sure that the British people cheerfully support all reasonable demands made upon them for this object. Tliey feel with Mr Goschen that we are doing no more than is absolutely needful for our self-defence, and they are unanimous that in all conditions our fleets should 'represent the self-reliance of a great nation. ' "