FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 42, 15 March 1909, Page 3

FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE.

BRITAIN'S NAVAL ESTIMATES. INCREASED CONSTRUCTIONS. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY FOR EMERGENCIES. Received 14, 4.30 p.m. London, March 13. The N»\al Estimates have been presented. They total .05,142,700. New construction will absorb £8,885,194, whereof £6\.a90,4-24 will be expended on ships already under coast-ruction, and £2,285,770 will go towards the new programme, which comprises—lour Dreadnoughts Six protected cruisers Twenty destroyers, aud Some submarines. Tin- personnel of the Navy is not to be increased. / The Government will, if necessary, ask authority to make preparations for the rapid construction of an additional four large armored ships to be laid down on April 1, 1!)10, aud completed in March, I<JI2. The memorandum of the Estimates by Mr. K. McKeana, First Lord of the Admiralty, shows that £60,000 has been allotted for an airship and half a million for new submarines. He adds that during the current

year Three battleships Four Invisibles Five destroyers Seventeen first-class torpedoes And seven submarines have been completed, and the following will be under construction on April 1 : Six battleships One armored cruiser Two unarmored cruisers Five protected cruisers Twenty-five destroyers Six torpedoes Nineteen submarines. The Daily News expresses disappointment with the Estimates, on the ground that the programme is colossal. On the other hand, the Unionist Press are disappointed on the ground that the programme is inadequate, unless the additional powers ior the construction of four more large armored ships men- , tioned are resolutely enforced. AUSTRALIA'S NAVY. TENDERS ACCEPTED FOR DE- .. STROYERS. Received 14, 4.15 pjn. Melbourne, March 14. The Minister or Defence announced that he has accepted the tenders of Denny Bros. (Dumbarton) and Fairfield Shipbuilding Company (Glasgow) for the construction of two destroyers il the River class, at a cost of £81,500 each, including armament, delivered in England; also for material for a third, including armament, at £71,500. The first vessel is to be completed in fourteen and the second in fifteen months, and the material for the third hvithin twelve months from the date of signing the contract. The completed destroyers are to voyage to Australia under their own steam. The successful firms agree to employ not less than twelve or more than twenty Australians selected and sent to England by the Commonwealth to assist in the construction of the. vessels. SOME COMPARISONS. • 1908-0 1009-10 £ & Total estimates 32,319,500 35,142,700 Inc. over 1908-9 2,823.200 Inc. over 1907-8 ' 3,700,200 New construction — Ships building 6,705,202 6,599,422 Decrease, 1908-9 195,780 Beginning new ships 750,000 2,285,770 Inc. over 1908-9 1,535,770 Total inc. new constructions 1,339,992 New constructions (as per Estimates) compared:— Dreadnoughts 1 4 Protected cruisers 0 6 Destroyers 10 20 Sdbmarines 13(!) 13(?) Large arm'd cruiser 1 Conditional on circumstancesLarge arm'd ships 37 17 The Naval Estimates for 1908-9 total, as above shown, £35,142,700, an increase of nearly £5,000,000 over the year just ending. The increase is mainly accounted for by a comprehensive enlargement of the building programme, notably in Dreadnoughts. Should the Government decide to procure authority ior another four large armored ships, the Estimates will be still further increased. The personnel of the Navy is to remain as at present, the total number of officers, seamen, hoys, coastguards and Royal Marines being 128,000. , COMPARISON WITH OTHER POWERS. In a recent article in the London Daily Mail, entitled, "The Navy of 1009: Why Great Britain must build more Ships," is stated that the cruisers may be grouped as follows: Armored cruisers tarrying guns of 8.3-inch or over, light armored cruisers, scouts steaming 23 knots or over, old cruisers of large size, and old cruisers of small size—the last two types valuable mainly for work in flie second line and for portection of Commerce. The figures are as follow: Armored. Armored. Heavy Lighter Guns. Guns. Scouts Britain .. -.19 16 16 ■ Germany •■ ..9 0 17 • United Statei .. 4 U 3 France ..• .-. 0 18 0 Japan .... 4 9 5 ( ■. I Old Cruisers. Large. Small. ' Britain 19 58 Germany ° " United States ... ... 2 20 France 3 }° Japan 0 10 Britain is a little ahead of the twoiPower standard in the first two classes. though it is important to remember that in cruisers much more than a bare supcxioritv of 10 per cent., or even 25 pe r Cent.,' has always been postulated as necessary by British authorities on Strategy; while Sir George Clarke has warned the British public that the Bri!ti«h war plans make no adequate provision for the defence of British commerce at the outset of war. In scouts jthe British Navy is lamentably wca* when compared with a single Power. Ihaving only sixteen against the German seventeen. This weakness must be repressed as speedily as may be, for without scouts our Dreadnoughts will he blind and helpless, the prey of possible Hostile destroyers. Looking at the above table, the very minimum of cruisers to be laid down should be six of the highest speed, and eight would be betiter.