The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-10
ROW WITH RUSSIA AVERTED
DISPUTE OVER THE NEU-CHWANG
LOAN CONTRACT SETTLED.
japan supporting China's Refusal to
Lease san-Mun Bay-How Italy
Sounded the United states.

navy estimates In the House OF commons
to-day the first lord of the Admiralty. the
Rt Hon. George J. Goschen, said never
had estimates been submitted under more
unique circumstances. Ahead was the con-
ference for international disarmament,
while behind were the incidents of last No
vember. and, while a comparison of the
naval strength of the various countries was
in everybodys mouth, the most striking
confidence was shown in British prepared
ness to meet all emergencies. The conti-
mental powers, he further said, were dis
turbed by the allegation that Great Britain
was preparing with a particular purpose
for aggressive action. but. the minister as
serted the idea never entered the mind of
the government He then proceeded TO de-
tail the naval programme.
Mr.. Goschen said her Majesty's govern
ment proposed to. make We-Hai-Wei 0he
war port on the northern coast of the
Shan-Tung peninsula) a secondary naval
base, pointing out that il would be a most
valuable anchorage and of the greatest i'm
portance in any operations in Chinese
waters. and adding that it was proposed to
expend e1, 800 600 on Wei-Hai-Wei during
the present year and e1,JO0.OOO next year.
Continuing Mr.. Goschen informed the
House that the personnel of the navy for
the coming year would be increased by $3.50
men. making total of l1O.640 at cost of
e7i74,000. Comparing the pay OF the per-
Sonnel, Mr. Goschen said that, while Great
Britain paid GT 10000 and France G3,0O,009
Russia paid only G445OOO. He could not un-
derstand how that was, but that all the
estimates revealed.
Referring to ship building, he said the
coming programme had been framed after
consideration of the programmes of the
other powers a study OF these programmes,
he pointed out, not reassuring. The
United States. Russia, France. Japan, Italy
and Germany had under construction $500
tons of ships. or 225,OoO tons more than
was contemplated in the present estimates
This had forced the government to draw up
new programme Excluding last years
supplemental programme, it provided for
two ironclads, two armored cruisers and
three smaller cruisers of a specially high
speed. The increase of appropriations
required therefor for the coming
financial year was $4,000 and the
total under the ship-building vote, in
cluding the liabilities for last years orig
inal and supplementary programmes. would
be El2 ,s17 600, an increase of over f2,oo0.000
The total estimates were G26 594, 900. For
armament Mr.. Goschen asked an increase
of G16l,O00, chiefly for the construction of
guns but also for more ammunition for
practice. which, he asserted was a matter
of enormous Importance, as shown by the
late war.
After speaking of the necessity for in
creased shp-building vote, he said these
were the votes required by the present sit
uation. But" he added would that the
action of other nations, resulting from the
coming international conference. could
make it possible for to diminish modi-
fy the programme. while, of course, main
tanning our standard and relative position"
Mr.. Goschen then announced, in behalf of
her Majesty's government that if the other
great naval powers were prepared to di-
mnish their programmes Great Britain was
prepared to modify hers But if the Cars
hopes were not realized the programme
would have TO stand. for he (Mr. Goschen)
expressed the hope that those who were pro-
posing TO attack the countrys expenditure
would not attempt TO dissuade the people
from bearing the taxation necessary TO
carry on the duties of the empire.
In conclusion. the first lord of the Admiral
ty said the estimates were simply the en-
bodiment of the feelings of a peace-loving
determined nation" fCheers.l Mr.. Goschen
emphasized the purely defensive objects of
the naval increase, but said that in view of
the construction by her rivals of fast cruis-
ers, with the avowed purpose of preyng on
British commerce and Great Britains food
supply in the event of war, England was
forced to build five new cruisers particular
ly swift, in order 10 circumvent these
schemes. He also said that the four ar
mored cruisers now being built under the
original programme would be the most pow
erful ships in the world.
The Times. referring editorially TO the
statement of the first lord OF the admiralty
i'm the House OF Commons yesterday, says:
1t is betraying no state secret TO affirm
that nothing but the strength OF our navy
saved US from having TO choose between the
loss of what our arms had in the Su-
dan and a war which would speedily have
cost fifty times what We spent in averting
it."