Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-10
THE BRITISH NAVY.
GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES FoR rB,
ENSUING YEAR
INCREASE OF FIGHTING FORCE
at IL Demanded ny the Present sI,..
ntionv-NavaI Prog of OtL..
Cars Peace Plan.

LONDON, March 9.-In introducing N.
navy estimates in the House OF Common,
to-day, the First Lord OF the Admiralty
the Right Hon. George J. Goschen. ssA
never had estimates been submitted uule,
more unique circumstances. Ahead VA,
the conference for international dlsarma.
ment, while behind were the incidents n
last November, and while a comparison
Of the naval strength Of the various coua.
tries was In everybody's mouth. the NOS,
striking confidence was shown In British
preparedness 70 meet an emergoncics.
The Continental Powers he said. were
disturbed by the allegation that Great Br,.
tain was preparing with "a particular gl.-
pose for aggressive action but. tho Minis.
ter asserted, the idea had never entered
the mind 81 the government tie thsa
proceeded to detail the naval programme
WEI-HAI-WEL
Mr.. Goschen said her Majesty's Govern.
ment proposed TO make Woi-Hai-Wel Che
war-port on the northern coast NJ shan
Tung PENINSULA second naval base
pointing out that IL would be % most val.
liable anchorage Of the greatest impo--
lance I'm any operations IN Chinese waters
and added that It was proposed TO eypenl
cl.3OO.OO0 on Wei-Hai-Wei during n8
present year, and 10000 next year.
Continuing. Mr.. GOscheu Informed Or
House that the personnel of tle navy
for the coming year would De increased
by $3.50 men. making a total of n06l. 4t
a cost Of G7.i74ooo.
PROGRAMMES OF OTHER POWERS
Referring to ship-buildins, Boz said ,he
coming programme had been framed after
consideration Of the programmes Of othl.
Powers. A study OF these Programme
he pointed out, was not rcassurlng The
United States. Russia. France. Japan.
Italy. and Germany had under construc-
ton 10000 tons of warships, or -1.eQ IONS
more than was contemplated in the pres
ent estimates. This had forced The gov
eminent 10 draw up a new programme
excluding last years supplemental pro-
gramme. 1t provided for TWO ironcas
two armored cruisers. and three smaller
cruisers. Of speclally-high speed The IN
crease OF appropriation required. there
fore, for the coming fiscal year was
e5550O00, and the total under the snip
building vote. including the Liabilities i9r
last years original and supplementary
programmes, would be Ei2 $1,000 an in-
crease OF over L-'V'l'VV'' A"0 '0'-
mates were N-''''i'V ...
AMMUNITION FOR PRACTICE
For armament. Mr. Goschen asked an
increase Of GiGl GOO, chiefly for iht core
struction Of guns hut also for more
ammunition for practice which. be as-
serted, was a matter OF enormous impoT-
lance. as shown by the late War
After speaking OF the necessity f0r
an Increased ship-buildlng vote. Doe sali
these were the votes required bY DE
present situation. But" De- added,
would that the action OF the other IA
,fons resulting from the coming Internal
tional conference could make 10 possible
for us to diminish or modify the proc
gramme. while OF course mhihinA.s
our standard ana our tel@ut'
CARS PEACE PLAN.
Mr.. Goschen arr..rced. In benaL OF
her Naiesty's Governments that t 'he
other great naval Powers were prepared