BRITISH NAVY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9991, 11 March 1910, Page 5

BRITISH NAVY.

ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR. EXCEED FIFTY MILLIONS. United Press Association—B> Electric Telegraph Copyright. Received March 10, 10.30 p.m. LONDON, March 10. In the House of Commons, the Naval Estimates introduced, and provide for a total of £50,603,700. The personnel of the Navy has been increased tn 131,000.; new construction to cost £12,279,839, whereof £11,850,790 has been spent on vessels already under construction, the balance will be used for beginning the work of the new programme, which comprises five large armoured ships, five protected cruisers, twenty destroyers, and a number of submarines, which cost threequarters of a million. This expenditure is i idependent of tour contingent battleships and the New Zealand and Australian vessels, tenders for Which are now being considered. ■ During the year live battleships and two unarrnoured crusiers, nine destroyers, six torpedoera and have been cumpleted. There will bs under construction on April Ist seven battleships, three armoured cruissrs, nine protected cruiser?, two unarmoured cruisers, thirty-seven destroyers, nine submarines, and two floating docks, capable of taking the biggest battleships. The docks are to be completed in 1911, and stationed in the Medway and at Portsmouth. The Right Hon. R. McKenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, stated that the aeronautical branch was conducting important experiments in airships, and they will be completed for trials in the summer He added that a very satisfactory report had been receivei concerning the firs': batch of Australians and New Zea landers being trained in England.