New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
BRITISH EMPIRES COST
ESTTM4TES INCREASED.
Small Reduction IN army Figures
The Naral Plans.

London. Feb. 24.-The estimates for the Brit
ish defensive forces for the current year which
were issued to-day. will disappoint the peace
party. T2stead of showing a reduction the
combined estimates of the army and navy show
an increase of 5000 600 without any appar
ent hope of notable dminution in the future
Lord TWeedmouth, First Lord OF the Ad-
, miralty explains outright that the future pro-
gramme of Great Britain will depend on whether
foreign powers increase their naval forces. since
the government has every intention of main
tanning the standard of the British navy which
hitherto has been deemed necessary for safe
guarding national and imperial interests
The Secretary for War, Richard Burden Hal
dane in similar statement regarding the navy
says:
Looking to t41e future, am convinced that II
is Impossible to make further dmnutions in
the army expenditure on a considerable scale:
unless first of all reduce the number OF
troops serving abroad
Garrisons abroad will be reduced whenever
that can be safely done but if reductions In the
regular army are carried too far demand VIII
ultimately have to be made on the citizen forces
such hitherto has never been contemplated
The army estimates total s154.1S5,12O as
against s155 $50 for 1907-'0S, and the Secre-
tary for War estimates total of 1S5.OOO meE In
the home and colonial establishments, irrespec-
tive of hda a decrease OF 5000 men from last
year Apart from these regular forces the estf-
mates include provision for imperial grants
toward the Indian army, the territorial forces OF
the United Kingdom, the volunteers, ETC. which.
with the regulars. make the grand total 'ss6lo
men. as compared to Ss3141 in the preceding
year.
The navy estimates total s16l5e7 500. against
s157 Os7 500 for 19O7-OS and provide for exactly
the same number of officers and men as last
year.
The agitation for economy has had some
effect on the shipbuilding programme, which
contemplates only one improved warship OF the
Dreadnought type. instead of the three expected.
The government intends to build one large
armored cruiser six fast protected cruisers, SIX
teen destroyers and some submarines. The
number of the last mentioned vessels is not
given. but they are estimated at s2.500,0o0-
In an explanatory statement, Lord Tweed
mouth, First Lord of the Admiralty. points out
that an increase in expenditure is inevitable,
bat by the strctest economy he is able to con-
fine it to s45OO00O He shows how gradual
and continuous diminutiOn in the amount re-
uuired for new construction, which was begun
in 1905, when it reached the maximum of s51.-
900, still possible. the amount now being
S37, ,725, 600, compared with s40500,000 last
year. He announces the definite intention TO
proceed with the construction of naval base
at Rosyth, Scotland, which, in addition to having
a asin capable of accommodating twenty-five
warshfps will include a depot for submarines
and destroyers. The whole work. Ii is esti-
mated. will occupy decade in building and
will cost s16.250.o00.
Among the inevitable increases in expendt-
ture. such as the increased cost OF coal and
provisions and the higher pay of the men, he
mentions the Cunard subsidy for the Lusitania
and Mauretania, which stands at the full
amount s750,000
On April l next the British navy will have
under construction seven battleships, four
armored cruisers, unarmored cruiser, ten
destroyers, twenty torpedo boats and eight sub
marines.