The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-16

THE BRITISH NAvY.-In presenting the navy esti-
mates In the English House OF Commons on the
evening OF February 2s Mr. Chiders, the First Lord
OF the Admiralty, made an elaborate speech, In the
course Of which he gave some interesting and in-
portant items concerning the present state and
future prospects Of the British navy. He com
menced by stating the gross amount Of the estimates
for the year at CO. 800 OO0 aud comparing them with
the estimates OF former years; he showed that they
were the lowest since 1913, and involved saving
OF threequarters OF amilton on last years estimates
In the vote for pay and allowances there was a
saving OF G10O00O there being reduction OF 1000
In the number OF men and boys employed. In the
vote for clothing there was saving OF e205,00O,
stores C47 COO shipbuildng c3000OO, civil depart
ments G1o0OO. and transport service G6I, 900 ON
the other side there was an Increase for the extern
sion OF the dOckyards and of elS9,OOO for the non-
effective services He then described In detail the
extensive administrative changes made in the va
rious departments, the effect of which, as rule,
had been not only great economy buJ Largely In
creased efficiency and he claimed for the Admiralty
the credit OF having carried out the disagree tb1
duty of reduction with the utmost possible con der-
alton for ndlv duals. When the ships now Ia course
of construction finished, he claimed that Eag
land would have thirty-one DrOad5ide armDred yes
sells and nine turrct Ships in addition TO an eaicleut
force of unarmored ships-a much stronger force as
he showed by comparison, than was poss ssed either
by France or the United States. AS to the future,
to the conclusion that in ordinary times England
ought to build annually above H. 600 tons OF armOred
and 1900 of unarmOred snips-40O0 by contract,
ana the rest in the dock yards This would require
about 5000 men for building purposes alone, aud
dOckyard expenditure OF about G2,5o0,0O0 The
shpbuildng programme for the year contemplated
IL new ships, inc;uding an improved vessel OF
the unmasted Thunderer type, and frigate of
type intermediate between the Inconstdnt aud
Voltage, all experience pointing to the supreme i'm
portance OF pushing on the most powerful class of
armOred ships and the fastest cruisers Though
satisfied with The service gun up to the l2lnCh gun
the admiralty had come to the conclusion that 1t was
not powerful enough for the vessels OF the
Thunderer type, and tncy desired therefore, that
there should be trial between the Whl5wOrJh aud
service guns restricted to this particular purpose.
In explaining the posed distribution OF the hect,
Mr.. Chders announced that anotaer dying squadron
would be despatched this year, and that the coast
guard district ships would be sent on u cruise,
10 form sort Of second chanuel fleet; and
he described in detail the means by which the Ad-
nraty proposed To out all the useless men in
the service, and to strengthen the reserve by
which he calculated he would secure reserve OF
$1,000 blue jackets and marines. Finally, he gave
all elaborate exposition OF the plan OF retire
ment the basis OF which Is the compulsory retire
ment Of adnrals OF the fleet at seventy years OF age
| admrals and vice-admirals at sixty-hve of rear
admrals at sixty, captains at ffty-hye, COM
manders at fifty, and leutenants at forty-ive
| Flag-oflcers, too, would be compelled to retire
| after ten years of non-service, captains after
| seven years, and commanders after five
| years. The scale Of retirement, based age and
service would range from G20O to eS00, and the list
OF officers would be reduced to 2336 The financial
effect OF the scheme would De-beginning with loss
Of e54 900 in the first year-at the end Of twenty
| five years to save the country from e300,OOO to
| e350,OCO year. In conclusion, the enthusiastic
minister claimed for the estimates that they provided
| for efficiency in the public service, economy, and
| contentment in the navy, all OF which, of course,
afforded infinite satisfaction to John Bull who takes
excessive pride in his navy, but at the same time
| dslikes to pay taxes as much any other mau.