THE RUSSIAN NAVY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9111, 10 June 1908, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN NAVY.

* IMPASSIONED APPEAL TO THE DUMA. Rece'ved June 9, 8.30 a.m. ST. PETERSBURG, June S. An impassioned appeal was made to the Duma by M. Stjlypin, the Premier, for the vote for battleships, but the Duma refused to grant it until the naval services had been reorganised, fearing a continuance of mal-administration.

The sub-committee of the Duma appointed to examine the programme and estimates of the Marine Ministry for the present year recently decided to recommend the Duma to refuse the principal demand for a line of battleships. The Ministry asked for a credit of 11,250,000 roubles for armoured vessels, 960,000 roubles for torpedoboats, and 1,250,000 roubles for submarines. Considering that a thoroughgoing reform of the Naval Department was absolutely indispensable before the organisation of the navy was taken in hand, the sub-committee characterised ihc present programme as unfinished, and refuses to vote the credit for battleships. It expressly acknowledged that Russia should possess an adequate sea force, buc believed that radical reform of the Naval Department and a rounded shipbuilding programme, approved by the Duma, and spread over a number of years, were preliminary conditions which cannot be dispensed with. All the Ministers' demands, except the, credit for battleships, will be com- 1 plied with. The Duma has followed its Budget Committee and has acted upon the recommendations of the sub-committee. The Cabinet has already discounted this attitude, which ha 3 been welcomed by all who are desirous that Russia should sedulously avoid spending money unproducti vely.