Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-09
EUnorBAs ARMIES ANDsN4rIEs.
What they Have Cost and How They
Have Grown in the Past 20 Years.


Chronicle:
As all the great powers of Europe are |
more or less maritime, that is to say, |
have more or less seaports and seacoast
to defend, all expend an amount OF
money for the construction of navies,
which is limited only by their financial
abilities and their supposed needs in
this direction. England desires to make
herself secure from invasion and to pros
tect her merchant marine and her coll
onies and interests in all parts OF the
world. France has the sea on three
sides of her and numerous colonies.
Italy is a peninsula, with the sea on all
sides of her, the northern boundary ex-
cepted. Austria has only a short line
of seacoast on the Adriatic. She would
be glad to have a seaport on the Egean
Sea, Salonica, but the realization OF this
project does not seem to be in the inn
mediate future. Germany fronts on the
Baltic and. the North seas. Should she
ACQUIRE Holland, in case of future war
her maritime interests would be much
more important.
Russia, in case of war, would have to
defend her Baltic ports, principally in
accessible in winter, her Slack Sea
coast, and her ports ON the Paclilc,
closed during several of the winter
months. In case of war the concen-
tration of her naval forces would be inn
possible, not only because the points to
be defended are widely separated, but
because her ships would be unable to
pass the Bosphorus. Were Turkey
neutral, the neutrality Of the Bosphorus
would also be an element Of security,
since foreign fleets would not be able to
enter the Black Sea. Though the motives
for naval augmentation have been diff.
ferent, nearly all the nations mentioned
have been spending on their nayies and
their coast defences annually increasing
sums of money that in the aggregate are
stupendous, and III most cases Tar be-
yond the means OF the people VINO pay
them.
England expends on her war marine
far more than any other nation, consid-
ering her navy as far more important
than her army. The following figures
show the gradual increase for the last
twenty years. They do not aim at alb
solute accuracy, but are closely approNl-
mate. In 1871 the marine budget of
England was only S39,000,000. In 1874
il has risen to Sal 100000; in 1910 10
S43600 0O0 in 1876 to $40 100000. In
1886 it fell back to T4l,60u,0O0, but in
1883 rose again To $43,400,OO0, and has
gone on constantly augmenting. since
that date. The dininuttOn was during
the peaceful rule of Mr.. Gladstone,
whose influence was not, however, sui
ficient to prevent speedy reaction
towards a greater expenditure. In 1851
the naval budget reached SAG 100000, in
1885 S5l,600,000, in 1856 S52,O00,u00,
an i eG% T'o'oooiooo' "iAt = 80 ~
s~9,oVo. ..; +. !. a,,,;aod !,
uellllahy 60 Z. 1850. st.s .,
any niolilcnt " uclehu ~ Mes.eaii
iIohtiei asaiist Iaheg ailu " !,
lIolllieI asalilst hussli, esiist. W.. IT. u
army y iaI sreatel l,iiie'i t"lieS .i"ii ~
navy, one eAleh'teu M ~ oo l,e I. I 10y
Go,svo,ooo ~ 30 9io1VVoioo Coo M GOO
gSt,oooiooo ~ ios', I'M talr'9gV'Goe =. -
109y u ~ ~ ~, ~ nm a. s.,
4uu,uuu On iier navy py'4Vg u, Il, lS9o
NM ~ loo5 Fo,ooV,Voo' ~ ~ e9ee
ltaiy IS very Pecullai' ihousn W
poorest OF the slA countries 70 Mlllct
thls esliiha1es relates, sile y lllilu az IS
garus the ailouit oi money sHe APc!lu'
on hef navy. TOT TOUT years oesililillll
Wltn loll the eApeHultulcs Mele neai
Fl,SOV,0uV ahnually. ~ theh rose
$e,ooo,Ogo and 50 continued ior thIe'
years. In 1887 It had risen 70 SIl,
0o0,ooo IRON winch It passed 10 $ S@5
60o,OoO IN 1855, DIMINISHING 70 Sss,foo
QUO IN 1851. Recent political event
and the imperative necessity OF ecoho
nhHlnS IN all departments TO proven
universal Bankruptcy VIII prohaol.
make the annual expenditure much les
Tor some years to come Inc amour
expended last year on the navy wa