, 1916-10-18

what was equivalent to the aggregate eXpeu
diture for twenty years before the war,
although that period included the South
African war. When he moved the last vote
of credit in July he estimated the average
rate of expenditure at approximately 60, 600,
900 a day. That forecast had proved to be
almost exactly correct. At the commence
ment of the present week the Premier con-
timed there was still in hand G1O0, 500, 600
which would carry on until October 9th.
The daily average of eX expenditure had risen
slightly he said and was E5,070,O00 for the
last seventy-seven days of the financial year.
Expenditures for the army Ind fallen off
slightly, while those for munitions had i'll.
creased somewhat. Loans to Great Brituln's
Allies and DominiOns were exceeding the
Budget estimate at the present rate. They
would not he safe i'll assuming that expen-
ditures in the future would be less han
rs, 100000. Rewriting to the possib lily
OF loans to the Allies and Dominions exceed
ing the Budget estimate of $3.50, 600 600
Mr.. Asquith said no part Of the war expeD-
diture was more important than this. Great
Britain had DO selfish end in connection
with the war, and although the expenditure
was growing beyond the estimate he did
not regret it. Surveying the progress Of
the war since the last vote OF credit the
Premier said hot weather had hampered
operations in the second army theatre, but
that in MesOpotamia substantial progress
has been made with rail aud river commu-
nications, and the health Of the troops bad
improved subs antially, the defeat of the
Turks at Katia oasis east of the Suez Canal
had gone far to remove the danger of at
tack Oh the Canll and had impaired Turk
ish prestige in Arabia and Syria. In west
ern Egypt the Senussl trlbeslnen had been
reduced to impotence. Tn Allied armies
on the Salonica front had inflicted heavy
losses on their opponents and prevented them
from transferring troops to Dibrudja, thus
rendering valuable resistance to Russia
and Roumania. The whole of the Ger
man East African coast had been occupied
the Premier continued, and the compete
conquest of the colony was only q matter
of time. Mr.. Asquith gave high praise to
General SHUTS aud the Belgian troops,
which are cooperating with hun. In the
west, Mr.. Asquith said the French and Bri-
fish had advanced a distance Of seven miles
on q front Of niue miles, but the most impor-
tant feature of the advance was that IN no
case had @ counter-attack succeeded in
driving them back. The Germnus hal
virtually abandoned the attack on Verdnu
aud their losses had been very heavy. He
gave the total number of prisoners taken
by the Allies on the y mme front aS OUtlk
in addition to which thare had been cap
tured 304 guns and 1903 .chiue-gnns.
Allied aircraft he adj led had attained con-
plete mastery of the Germans. The Pre-
mier referred to the complete coordination
Of the General Stats of the four great Pow
ers and to the sympathy and interest with
which Great Britain is observing the cour-
age, tenacity and strategioal skill displayed
by Italy and Russia in the more distant
fields. He spoke approximately of the part
played by Serbia AMI Belgium and lastly
by RoumaniO, whose people aud King in
defiance of a thousand calls to neutrality,
iolned our cause. "I wish [ could add
Greece with her imperishable record of
resistance against the on rush of barbarism
and tyranny" he continued. "Even now
Greece wisely guided and wisely governed
might take a worthy part on the side of
which she is committed by Great and Glori-
Gus traditions.
London, October 11th.-Mr. Lloyd
George met with strong criticism in the
House to-day on account of recent pub.
lie utterances to the effect that the Eu-
ropeau war was to be a fight to q fin
ish and that Great Britain would tolerate
no outside interference in the direction of