The First Lord's Statement explaining the Naval Estimates was issued
on Monday. The total estimated expenditure for 1908-9 is 232,319,500, as opposed to 231,419,500 for the current year; but it is pointed out that although Parliament is asked to vote 2900,000 more this year than last, the total outlay for the year will only be 213,984 in excess. The Admiralty has announced its readiness to meet the wishes of the Colonial Governments as far as possible in respect of the establish- ment of local defence flotillas in lieu of, or supplementary to, the present money contributions to the Imperial Exchequer, and the scheme of the Australian Commonwealth is now under consideration. We may refer our readers to the examination of the Estimates and Statement in another column, in which " Civis" shows how in several important particulars the Admiralty have modified their policy in the direction urged by their critics.
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