THE NAVY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 16 March 1909, Page 3

THE NAVY.

NEW CONSTRUCTION INCREASED BY £ 1,535,770.

London, March 13

The Navy Estimates for 1909-10 presented to the House of Commons by the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr M’Kenna), total 142,700, as compared with last year, an increase of ,£2,823,200. New construction will absorb ,£8,885,194 (as compared with ,£7,545,202 in 1908-09), of which .£6.599,4 2 4 (1908-09, will be spent on the continuation of ships already under construction, and £2,285,770 (being an increase of ,£1,535,770 over the amount for 1908-09, ,£750,000) will go towards the building of ships for the new construction programme. The new programme for 1909-10 with the new programme as for 1908-09 attached for the purposes of comparison, is as under: — 1909-10 1908-09 Dreadnoughts 4 1 Large armoured cruiser 1 Protected cruisers 6 6 Destroyers 20 16 The new programme will also include ,£500,000 for new submarines, as did last year’s. The personnel of the Navy (which for the last two years has numbered 128,000 men) will not be increased. The Government will, if necessary, ask for authority to make preparations for the rapid construction of four more large armoured ships to be laid down on April 1 st, 1910, and to be completed in March 1912. In his memorandum on the estimates, Mr M’Kenna shows that ,£60,000 has been allotted for the purpose of airships. Between April Ist, 1908, and March 31st, 1909, the following ships have been, or will have been completed : 1909-10 1908-09 Battleships 3 x Invincibles (battleship cruisers) 4 Armoured cruisers (Warrior type) Destroyers 5 3 Torpedo boats (xst class) 17 10 Submarines 7 8 On April 1,1909, there will be under construction the following (as compared with those under construction on April xst, 1908): 1909-10 1908-09 Battleships 6 7 Armoured cruisers 1 4 Unarmoured cruisers2 1 Protected cruisers 5 —■ Destroyers 25 10 Torpedo boats 6 20 Submarines xg 18 The Daily News (Liberal) ex-presses-disappointment with the estimates on the ground that the programme is colossal. On the other hand, the Unionist press is disappointed on the ground that the programme is inadequate unless the additional powers for the construction of four more large armoured ships, as mentioned, are resolutely enforced. The new battleship Temeraire, 18,600 tons, attained a speed of 21.7 knots on a trial run.