A.—2

21

Statements of Actual and Estimated Expenditure on the building and completing the Australian Defence Ships, and of the Estimated Annual Cost for Maintenance. Building and Completing.

Estimated Annual Cost of Maintenance of Australian Defence Ships.

No. 31. Telegram from the Secretary of State per Governor, Adelaide. 2nd January, 1891. Postal Convention with France, 1856, unavoidably extended beyond 31st March. [Approximate Cost of Payer.—Preparation, nil; printing (1,300 copies), £13.]

Authority: George Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington,—-1891.

4—A. 2.

Name of Vessel. Actual Expenditure to 31st March, 1890. Further Expenditure to complete. Total Expenditure, actual and estimated. £ 101,602 101,997 97,903 113,514 114,259 41,315 41,295 £ £ 'Katoomba" ... 'Mildura" •Wallaroo" ... "Tauranga" ' Bingarooma"... ' Boomerang" ... :, Karrakatta "... 238,115 850,000 Note.—The annual payment to be mac lo by the colonies is 5 per ;ent. on the total cost, but not to exceed ,€35,000.

Commission. tn Reserve Three Cruisers. One Torpedo Gunboat. Total. Two Cruisers. One Torpedo Gunboat. Total. Wages, &c. ... Victualling ... Liability in respect of retired pay, &c, of officers Liability in respect of pensions to men ... Maintenance of vessels — Hull Machinery Masts, yards, rigging, and stores Guns and warlike stores, including torpedoes ... Giro -mountings Torpedo-carriages and gear ... Consumable stores Permanent stores ... Coals ... ... Medicines Relief of crews £ 35,247 11,496 £ 4,878 1,551 £ 40,125 13,047 £ 5,622 1,466 £ 1,540 401 £ 7,162 1,867 4,827 9,894 735 1,540 5,562 11,434 1,056 1,582 325 468 1,381 2,050 6,750 7,200 3,000 1,000 1,280 1,000 7,750 8,480 4,000 1,500 1,600 666 333 426 334 1,833 2,026 1,000 342 1,254 768 4,611 1,165 11,700 420 5,070 24 61 80 618 216 1,650 55 680 366 1,375 848 5,229 1,381 13,350 475 5,750 278 170 255 28 210 20 27 105 9 38 298 197 360 37 248 Total estimated annual cost for n ;103,744 15,368 119,112 14,433 4,026 18,459 119,112 laintenan 2e under ill heads 137,571 is under th< Note. —The liabilities of the oolonii ise heads is limited to £91,000 per annum.