New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-24
Must Increase Navy if She
Is to Remain First
Class Power.
TO REFUSE IS TO LOSE
HER GERMAN ALLY
Government of Dual Monarchy
Spurred by Heir-Aprarent to
Necessary Sacrifice.
rFrom The Tribune Correspondent. ]

fFrom The Tribune Correspondent
Vienna, May 12NArchduke Francis
Ferdinand is responsible for the placing
before the delegations at Budapest the
biggest naval bill that Austria has ever
seen. The government asks for AZ, 0c0, 90
kronen for the development OF the feet.
Four Dreadnoughts, three small cruisers.
six torpedo boats. two gunboats OF the
'moritor" class (for luviai defencc) and
one transportation steamer are going to,
he built. while 100000 kronen will be de-
voted TO the turning of Sebenico. on the
Adriatic. into a first class naval station,
and 100000 kronen TO naval aviation.
Although the Austrian people at large
complain Of the ever growing burden of
taxation and do not view these naval ex-0
penses with pleasure, it is safe to predict
that the governments bill will be agreed
to. 1t is known that Austria's position
in the Triple Alliance is at stake. and the
refusal to grant the money would mean
sooner or later not only the ending OF the
Triple Alliance, but also the end OF Aus
tria as a first class power.
While Germany concentrated her feet
in tire North and Baltic seas to oppose.
in case of war, the fleets of Great Brit
ain and Russia, il has been found indis- 5
pensable that Austria and Italy's ves-
sells should keep the French fleet (con--
centrated I'm the Mediterranean as e se7s
quel of the entente cordiale) under con-
troll. If Austria and Italy cannot do
that. Germany has no longer vital in
terest in being party to the Triple
Alliance Therefore Austria, however
reluctantly has decided TO make an ei
fort to retain her status as n great
power. and the naval programme pre-
scented to the delegations bears proof az
that desire. The naval programme vii!
have to be completed IT, five years.
Another reason that makes the In
crease of the Austrian fleet indispensa-
BILE is that Turkey. Greece and even Bull
garia are showing signs of making up
/ their minds to become naval powers.
Turkey has bought a British Dread
nought and wishes 10 buy any further
warships available on the European
market The Greek naval system mas
been thoroughly reorganized by British
/ Admiralty officers and its fleet is now
factor of Importance in the Mediterra-
mean. Bulgaria, which has become a
Mediterranean power since the Balkan =
War; will no doubt devote her activities
to the building of a fleet as soon as she
has recovered from her losses. Finally,
Russia keeps a strong fleet in the Black
! Sea and only a treaty keeps her from
going southwark through the Darda-
/ nelles. But treaty can always be torn
/ up, aud there ia not the slightest doubt
that in the case Of a European war the
Russian squadron now anchored at
Odessa would make for the Bosporous
and the Mediterranean.
So that Austria's duty is clear, and the
government, spurred by Archduke Fran
CTS Ferdinand, is getting busy building a
modern fleet. So far Austria has four-1
teen battleships, twelve Of which are am
tiquated and OF little or no lighting value p
The remaining two are modern Dread
noughts. Two more are being built. Her
cruiser. torpedo and destroyer craft is
extremely weak. This is a serious matt
ter for Austria, and the dilemma must
have been painful TO the aged Emperor.
Either vast amounts OF money must be
spent for the keeping up of a feet or
Germany which has been in recent years
Austrias only asset In international pol
/ itics, will no longer be her ally, and this
would leave Austria TO the mercy OF the
Balkan kingdoms, which, in their anti
Austrian feeling. only await the time to
throw themselves on dual monarchy and.
/ II possible, devour it, I'D