The British Navy.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 65, 18 February 1885, Page 4

The British Navy.

• m .Lord T^orthbrook made his promised statement with regard to' -the naval defences of the country m the House of Lords on December 2. So far as the government were concerned, said the noble lord, they were determined to maintain our naval supremacy, and their policy was, therefore, very considerably to increase the rate of construction of armour-plated ships, but they preferred, making that increase gradually and stead'dy. It was proposed t© lay. down, as the slips became vacant, either at the beginning or m the course of the next financial year, four ironclads of between 10---000 and 11,000 tons. It wls also proposed to build at once two torpedo rams similar to the Polyphemus, 3000 tons, with a speed of 17.12 knots. Two torpedo cruisers were building of about 1400 tons. They were intended as auxiliaries inaction; and it was proposed to buijditen of that class, armed with six 'four-ton guns, and. having a speed of 1 6 knots. Further, it was

intencfccl to'build 30 first-class torpedo boats, and five additional protected criisiers of 5,0()6 tons displacement, armed with torpedoes as well as guns, and having a speed of 17 knots. The cost of these additions <to, the navy would be about -PSjIW.OOO m excess of the ordinary Estimates, and. it was calculated that the;,whole would' ibe completed within five years. It was also proposed that the additional ships should, to a great extent, be provided by .contract For armaments be required, and, with J825,00Q for the protection of coaling* stations, theie would be a total expenditure of .£5,515,000.