The Portland daily press., 1899-03-10

It's Application to the situation.
| London, March Elm introducing the
navy estimates into the House Of Com
| N ons today, the First Lord Of the Ad-
miralty. the Right Hon. George j,
Goschen said never had estimates been
submitted under moro unique circum-
stances. Ahead was the conference for in
ternatioaal disarmament. while behind
were the incidents of last Novem Der, and
VIII IN q comparison Of the naval strength
of inc various countries was In every
body'r month, the most striking conf
dence was shown In British preparedness
to meet all emergencies.
The continental powers, he further said,
were disturbed by the allegation that
Great Britain was preparing with par
ticulpr purpose for ag u essive action, but
tre minister asserted, the idea never
entered the mini Of the government. re
ten proceeded to detail the naval pro-
g,amme.
Mr.. Goschen said Her Majesty's govern
,nent proposed to make Wei Hal Wei the
war port on the northern coast of the
Skan lung peninsula secondary naval
| base painting out that IL would be
most vnlua 10 anchorage, and OF the
greatest importa cs in any operations In
Chinese waters and adding that 1t was
proposed to expend 10000 pounds on
Wei Hal Wei, during the present year
and l, 500 coo pounds next year
The personnel of ths navy for the
coming year, he enid. would be Increased
| by 4 90 men totaling 1860 at cost OF
| 47a, go pounds. Comparing the paw Of
| the personnel, Mr. Goshen said that
while Great Britain paid 700, 0JO pounds
ami France 5000. 600 pounds. Russia only
paid 445. 000 pounds. He could not under
| stand how that WAS, but that y "a all the
estimates revealed.
Reft rring TO ship building. he said the
coming programme had been framed after
consideration of the programme OF the
| other powers. A study OF these pro-
aramin.s he pointed out, WAS not reas-
suiine. The United States, Russis,
| France. Japan, Italy and Germany had
under construction 6S5. 900 tons OF war
ships nr 225 600 tons more than WAS con.
| templated in the present estimates
Therefore, this had forced the government
10 draw up new programme. Excluding
last years supplemental programme. 1t
provided for two ironclads, two armored
cruisers and three smaller cruisers, Of
s. ecialiy high speed
| The money required therefore for the
coming financial year was 900 OGO pounds
and the total. under the ship building
vote, including the liabilities for last
years original and supplementary pro.
| grammes would be 1851, 600 pounds, and
increase Of over 10000 pounds The
total estimates were %. 594 cor pounds.
For armament, MIR. Goschen asked an
increase of 1871 900 pounds chiefly for the
construction of guns, but also tor more
ammunition for practice, which, he as
| S,f nor
ance. as shown by the late war.
Altar speaking of the necessity for an
increased shipSuilding vote he said these
v ere the votes required by the present
situation. But" he added, would
that the action of other Dations. result.
ing fir I'M the coming International con-
ference. could make 1t possible for us to
diminish or modify the programme while.
of course. maintain ming our standard and
e1ative position,
Mr.. Guschen then announced in behalf
of Her Majestys government that II the
other naval powers were prepared to
diminish their programmes, Great Britain
was prepared 10 modify hers. But, II the
Cars hopes we're not realized, the pro-
gTsmme would have to stand AN he, Mr..
u oschen, expressed the hope that those
VINO were proposing to attack the
country's expenditure would not attempt
to dissuade the people from bearing the
tn xation necessary to carry ON the duties
of the empire.
In conclusion. the first lord of the al
miralty said the est mates were "slmplv
the embodiment OF the feelings of peace
loving, determined nation" (Cheers.l
NJ. Goschen emphasized the purely de-
fensivo object OF the naval increase, but
said that, in view of the construction Of
her rivals of fast cruisers, with the
avowed purpose Of preyinR upon British
commerce and Great Britain's food sup
ply in the event of war, England was
forced to build five new cruisers particu-
larly swift, in order to circumvent these
schemes. He also said that the four
armored cruisers now being built undsr
the original programme would be the
most powerful ships in the world.