THE FRENCH NAVY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 92, 9 October 1911, Page 6

THE FRENCH NAVY.

AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME. M. Nail, the chairman of the French Parliamentary Naval Commission, has just completed his report on the- navy prograjjHß* involving an expenditure up to 11-2 C or close upon £5(1.000,01)0 on const '-action and .£5,000,000 on ports and arsenals. According to this programme, on January 1, 1020, France will have' Hist, a battle fleet of 28 first-class ships! made up of 12 Pa tries and Dan tore launched between 11)02 and 1910. and 16 new ones to be laid down at the rate of two a year from 1010 to 1017 inclusive; r.iso 10 first-class scouts and 52 destroyers. Second, there is the colonal defence licet of 10 guardships; and, third, the home defence squadron, consisting of 04 submarines, with mine-lavers. etc. The lite of the ships is fixed at 20 years for 1 attic-hips laid down after loot! and a!' cruisers and scouts, and at 17 years f->r drat, overs and submarines. In ord 'i t) prevent any delay or interruption m this programme, the Commission, with the approval of M. Delcass-e, Minister for Marine, proposes that the Government should be authorised at once to adopt, the whole programme, with the stipulation that the ships are to be laid down at wtated periods, so as to ensure the 10 battleships being begun and fin-i-m*d before ]<«(). The same will apply to arsenal and port works, and the expanses are to he spread over the Budgets trom 1012 l„ litis. This may be said to be the beginning of a new era for the French navy, which for the past 20 years has suffered more than anything else from the want of a definite, building programing and if for no other reason M. Dnlcasse's name will de-serve to be rememberwl with gratitude as the Minister who re-created the French licet