NAVAL ESTIMATES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10584, 15 March 1912, Page 5

NAVAL ESTIMATES

CABLE NEWS

(United Prm Association—By Electrie Telegraph—Copyright.)

OPINIONS OF PRESS UNIONIST PAPERS' APPROVAL. (Received March 14, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 13. Unionist papers approve the Navy Estimates. The Daily Chronicle (Liberal) thinks the programme cannot be regarded as excessive.' The Daily News (Liberal) says the Estimates are rather worse than the most pessimistic forecasted. Until two years ago only a handful-of scatterbrained individuals clamoured for two keels to one. "Mr Churchill's Estimates," continues the News, "represents financial disaster." The Morning Leader (Liberal) says: "The Estimates «re a very grave disap. pointment." The Times likes the armoured cruisers innovation. ..The-armour, it remarks, is intended for the cruiser to withstand fire from vessels of their own class, and will be suitable for cruisers attacking merchant yesse's commissioned as warships.

ADMIRALTY MINUTE.

VESSELS TO BE COMMENCED THIS YEAR, (Received March 14, 9 a.m.) LONDON, March 13. An Admiralty minute states that on Ist April next ten battleships and aix battleship cruisers-will-be under construction, including the Australia and New Zealand. There will also bo under construction eight protected cruisers (including two Australian), two unarmoured cruisers, thirty-one destroyers, and fifteen submarines (including two Australian). , The battleships kid down in 1911 arc to be called the Iron Duke, Marlborough, Delhi, and Berabow. The minute gives details of _ the launching of the battleship cruisers New Zealand and Australia, and of the building of other Australian %-essels. Though the scope of Admiral Sir R. Henderson's report on Australian defences is such that no immediate decision may be expected on many points, arrangements for.. the maintenance of certain ships* i'ni New- Zealand, consequent on. the initiation; of an AiistraU ian fleet, are vow in progress. The ..cruiser battleship New Zealand will probably visit the Dominion early in 1913.

The development of the Canadian naval policy is uncertain, but the Admiralty will earnestly co-operate in any scheme enabling Canada to take a real effective part in the Empire's naval defence.