Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-01-31
THE NAVY OF GERMANY
Considerable Increase Advised bv
the Emperor
HER POSITION DEMANDS IT
President Fleet Inadequate to Maintain
Germanys Pretentions as
Colonial Power.

Berlin, Jan. ga project is now be-
ing seriously considered by the emperor
and the cabinet of providing for a for
midable increase of the navy. 1t is well
known that his majesty has long wish
ed to do this, but the refusal of the
reichstag to vote the necessary funds
has rendered the scheme impossible.
Recent events, however, especially the
attitude of England toward Germany,
have ripened the plan to accomplish an
extension of the navy without the grant
of large sums of money by the reich
stag.
The emperor, during the last fort
night. has had a number of conferences
with authorities on colonial affairs with
reference to this position, and the needs
of the German colonies, compared with
the naval resources and the inadequacy
of the German navy, particularly in
first-class ironclads and cruisers, to
maintain Germanys pretensions as a
colonial power. was generally recog-
nized. This years budget shows but a
small item for new battleships and the
present reichstag, which expires in 1898,
will not vote large sums for the navy.
Therefore, in order to overcome the diff
ficulty thus presented 1t is proposed to
raise a loan of 800, 000, 900 marks, the
means for which are to be obtained by
the conversion of per cent funds into
3h per cents.
His majesty sounded the leaders of
the parties, in the reichstag and in the
diet, during the recent fetes and re-
ceived encouraging replies. DIR. Miguel,
minister of finance. was favorable to
the scheme, but Prince Hohenlohe,
chancellor. and several of the minister's
are opposed to it.
The colonial party has been much
encouraged by Emperor Williams
speech, delivered on January Is last,
upon the occasion of the 25th anniver-
sary of the re-establishment of the
German empire. 1t has stirred them to
increased activity, and at an enthusiasts
| tic meeting of the colonial association
on Thursday evening last, DIR. Peters
urged that a petition be drawn up and
addressed to the chancellor in favor of
a large increase of the navy, in order
| to protect Germany's world wide inter-
ests at, for instance, Adelaide. San
| Francisco, on the Orinoco and in the
| YangTse-K iang.
Among other things, DIR. Peters said
that Germany must have the power to
| act, and not to have to waste time in
| talking.
Prince Won Arenburg, who presided,
| condemned any precipitate action, and
| pointed out that it was impossible for
| Germany to create navy which would
rival that of Great Britain. The meet
| ing, nevertheless, adopted DIR. Peters
resolution and petition setting forth
| ha dom, de Nf tlA -
ton will be presented to the chancel-
lor and reichstag. 1t will contain the
request that 100000 900 marks be appro-
| priated to increase the navy.
An instructive contrast to these de-
mands is furnished in the official re-
port of the colonies. which has just
been published. From this document it
| appears that out of the thousands of
Germans to whom the emperor referred,
only 700 have apparently elected to take
| up their residence in Greater Germany,
| and of this number $50 are military and
| civil authorities.
These figures do not include South
west Africa, for which no statistics are
| given.
The trade of the German colonies,
the report also shows, is steadily de-
creasing, necesstating an increase of
imperial subventions by 400, 900 marks,
making a total cost of over IL O00, 900
i marks.
Emperor Williams birthday, on Mon
day next, will be celebrated in the usual
way. Among the princes present will
be the king of Saxony, the grand duke
of Baden and others of almost equal
rank
The amnesty decree which Emperor
William issued on January Is was SO
indefinitely worded that the courts
doubt how to apply it. In Hamburg
and Altoona 500 prisoners were releas-
ed, but of this number 1854 had to be
reincarcerated the following day. The
imperial court at Leipsic on Monday
last ruled on case which affects the
rights of COMMUNICATIONS. F. w
| Beohine of Brooklyn, N. Y, was fined
in September last the sum of 200 marks
for evading military service by emf
grating. The court quashed the sent
ence, as not being in accord with treaty
rights.
Secretary of the Interior Herr Won
Reike is drafting new regulations TO,
the purpose of rendering the petroleum
monopoly harmless in Germany.
The government architect, Herr Sop.
Ike, has accepted the post of professor
of engineering at the Columbian uni.
| Versity Washington