The Australasian Squadron. London, March 9.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 257, 21 April 1888, Page 3

The Australasian Squadron. London, March 9.

\\ illi rrnaxl to the pnnision of ;ui Austialasinn Mjnadion, as anam-ed at the Colonial C'oufeieiue, Loid <!00. Hamilton Niy.s tlio mothci count/i y lias en<;u^cd to beat tho whole cost of (ho building, auuiii" .Hid equipping h sqnadion. On the other hand, tlu: colonies undo took, when the \csscJs weie commissioned, (o pay tho whole co ». i. of their niaintcnance, and the manning, nj) lo the maximum oi CSJI.OOO annuallydin mi; the tinn; of peace, and to p.iy maddition bhcsnmui »J7)s,oooannually iorlO >eai^ as n contiiluition low.iid* tho oiii^inal cost ot eonsti action. The \c^^el.^ to )>e limit \\ill co^t, A\lieii completed, between CBOO,OOO jukl C 900,000. Special ]no\ision is to i)o made o meet, this liability under an Act ot l'ai liamenl. Jl is estimated that 0150,000 or C 500,000 will be icquiied loi buililinu' these xe^el.s diuinji tlie iinaucial jcai 1888-89, and ■» .soniLwliat less .sum dm inj; the follow m^ >ear 1889 90 to complete and lender them icady toi eomun-.-sion The -hips will thus be built and completed in two yeais. At, the end of that time, the ships beinjj m commission, an annual sum ot €91,000 tosvaidb their maintenance Mill be paid by the colonies* as an appiopnalion in aid of navy \otes and the na\al funds will for 10 yeai.s .subsequently iceci\e this assistance ; and m like mannei the lmpciial E\elic(iuer Mill 1)0 ei edited ioi 10 yeais Mith an annual payment of; i'3."),0t!0. l>y proniptiy peilormintf our ])oition ol tlie bargain and paying tor it in two 4 \cu«< tlie naxy will boaujrniented at the end ot that peiiod by .seven elleethe modem soa-<^oino -hi|)s, and the na\al funds Mill then ha\c a contribution foi 10 yea I-* to come in reduction ol the siim.s annuall> voted by the Imperial I'arluunent. On the termination ot the 10 >eai-> the *w^els will become the evclutehc pioperty of the linti^h (imeinment.