ARMY ESTIMATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 63, 15 March 1901, Page 4

ARMY ESTIMATES.

GREAT INCREASE.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

London, March 12.

The Navy Estimates for the year 1901-1902 protide for an expenditure of £30,875,000, an increase of £2,083,000 on the previous year. Nine hpll'ods vylH be devoted to the work of construction, the fiffiowing additions being proposed : Three battleships, six armored cruisers, two tln-d----class cruisers, ten torpedo boat destroyers, five toipedo boats, five submarine boats of the Holland type. The report states that the finest vessels of nearly all the great steamship companies ave held at the disposal of the Admiralty as ciuisers. Eighteen of the largest and sw f test have been subventioned by the Government.

The output of armor-plate during the past year has increased 50 per cent. With the exception of two battleships and one aunored cruiser, all the new vessels will be bu’lt piivately. The Committee of Experts appointed by Mr Goschen in July last o inquire into the efficiency of the Belleville boilers on warships has presented an interim report, which recommends the use in future of some type of water-tube boiler other than the Belleville, but -the BeHev'Ue boilers already fitted in vessels may remain.