THE ROYAL NAVY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2540, 12 May 1881, Page 2

THE ROYAL NAVY.

Tlie shipbuilding accounts for 1879-80 which have been issued to Parliament are prefaced by a report from the Accountant-general of the Navy, containing a variety of bints on past and present dokeyard expenditure, and passing clearly under review the shipbuilding work and expenditure of the past ten years. If C says the “ Pall Mall Gazette)’’ one thing can be seen more clearly than another from the figures given in this report it is this that while the expenditure of the past six years has sensibly increased, the work done has as sensibly diminished. The yearly rate of tonnage, which m the time of Mr Childers varied from 20,000 to 50,000 tons, dwindle more recently from 15,000 to 19,000 tons, while tbo expenditure on shipbuilding, which ten years ago. at a time when materials were dear, was at the rate of £1,300,000, was at the rate of £1,500,000 during the past three years*

when materials were exceptionally cheap. These accounts and Mr Hamilton’s report help us to understand why; it has been found necessary to demand increased estimates this year.