EXPENDITURE ON ARMIES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3103, 28 January 1909, Page 4

EXPENDITURE ON ARMIES.

The military expenditure of Great Britain during the recent years is dtated by Mr R. B. Haldane (Secretary of State for War), in reply to a Parliamentary question by Mr Maddison, to be aa follows: 1899-1900 ... £441,07,399 190U-1901 ... £92,424,671 1901-2 ... £94,165,905 1902-3 ... £70,248,523 1903-4 ... £39,653,034 1904-5 ... £31,559,638 1905-6 ... £29,129,574 1906-7 ... £28,365,987 1907-8 (esti- . mate) .., £27,326,718 1908-9 (estimate) ... £27,109,101 It should be remembered that there figures were swollen by war expenditure from 1899-1900 to 1904-5. From the latter period the figures represent the peace expenditure, including loans. From 1899-1900 Germany, starting with £36,348,438 (exclusive of colonial estimates), has steadily increased her ex penditure, save for slight decreases from 1902 to 1904, and in 1907-8, up to the latest estimate, which is, for 1908-9, £51,437,636. France, starting with, for 1899-1900, an army expenditure of £26,576,673, and colonial military expenditure of £3,146,006, ha?, with various modifications, progressed to an army expenditure of' £31,195,00, and colonial military expenditure of £3,172,294 for 1308-9. Russia, beginning; with £36,483.000 in 1889, finishes with estimates of £50.227,935 for 1908 and £57,343.855 tor 1909.