The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-28
BIGGER ARMIES AND NAVIES

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peoples of Europe murmur more and
more in opposition, the burdens Of
milltarlsm are growing. Leading states
men OF several of the great nations
have lately expressed opinions and
given semi official intmation that the
limit has been reached, but there is no
cessation in the activity and magnitude
of preparation. The French military
budget, the French marine budget and
the Austrian military budget for So4
were communicated to the legislative
bodies of the respective countries two
weeks ago. In each case provision for
increased armament was asked.
The budget of the French War Min
istry demands credits amounting to
636,7or,65o francs. 1t provides for
2S,555 officers, which is 2G5 more than
IN the present year; for 5000 men,
or 1851 more than this year, and for
14I,o59 horses, 554 more than in 1893.
The French marine budget for 1904
amounts to 100000, 900 francs. OF
this amount $4,000, 900 francs are to be
devoted to the construction of new
vessels. There will be put on the
stocks this year, according to the pro.
gram presented in the budget, three
I2,ooo-ton ironClads, two first class
cruisers, eight seCond-CasS cruisers
one torpedo despatch boat, and twenty
four torpedo boats. Provision is asked
for the completion during So4 of other
vessels already in course of conStruc
ton, as follows Eleven ironClads
five armor.belted cruisers, one first.
class cruiser, five second class cruisers,
and two third class cruisers, in addition
to torpedo, despatch, submarine, and
other smaller boats. There will thus
be, in 1894, about hundred war YES
sells in course Of construction or equip
ment for the French navy.
Economy and retrenchment in mill
tary matters have been talked in Aus.
tria lately, but the Austrian military
estimates for 1894 provide for "neces.
sary expansion Of the army The
number OF officers will be increased,
additional horses will be purchased,
and the artillery will be "reorganized'
on a broad scale Seven hundred and
thirteen additional officers will be
gazetted to infantry regiments during
1894; A like increase of officers is
projected for the rifle battalions, and a
few will be added to the cavalry, artl-
lery and medical corps; but these re
forms will extend over several years.
A brigade of artillery will be added,
making sixteen instead Of fifteen, and
a total Of sixty four regiments of field
artillery. Additions will also be made
to the fortress artillery, A telephone
corps is to be attached to each army
corps.
There has been an enormous increase
in the strength of the European navies
during the past year or SO, and the
Austrian Naval Minister calls attention
to the fact that during last year Great
Britain added to her fleet more vessels
and a greater tonnage than that of the
whole Of the Austro- Hungarian navy
put together, Twenty one ships, rep
reSenting I4I,ooo tons displacement
was England's addition to her navy in
1892. Russia approached most nearly
to Great Britain in adding to her fleet
during that year, and most of the great
powers notably increased their naval
strength, The report Of the Naval
Minister says there was an almost
feverish activity in building during
1899, which strained the resources OF
many State yards, as we'll as of numer-
Gus private firms If, as some wise
men argue, the armament of nations is
the best guarantee of peace, the millen-
mum would seem to be at hand.
All the vessels launched last year by
the more important countries were
ships Of the line, with pro
tected hulls and decks, with dis
placement between 10000 and 1000
tons, the former being more general.
The armor consisted mainly of steel or
compound plates, and in few cases Of
nickel steel. Nickel steel was also
used to some extent for naval guns |
The most notable innovation in ma
;hinery was the use of three screws in
iome of the larger vessels. The use
If petroleum has been Abandoned on
on account mainly of the risk
# fire, The big guns of 100 to ITO
Ons continue to give way to those Of