On Friday, July 22nd, Mr. Goschen, in a discussion on
the Navy Estimates, introduced his supplementary programme. The original programme was for three battleships, four cruisers, and four sloops. The new proposal is to build, in addition to the above, four battleships, four cruisers, and twelve destroyers. The first programme was estimated to cost seven millions, the new one will require eight,—fifteen millions in all. It is hoped that the ships will be finished in three and a half years. Mr. Goschen made no secret of the fact that the new programme was sanctioned in view of the great increase of her Navy adopted by Russia. Our policy was to keep our Navy stronger than that of any two navies combined, and therefore any increase of ship- building action abroad necessitated parallel action here. "He might add," said Mr. Goschen, "that we have not had a single ship or a single man added to the Navy in consequence of outside pressure from whatever quarter." No doubt Mr. Goschen and the Board believe that most sincerely, and we have not the slightest wish to ask them to confine such declara- tions to the military branch of the forces under their command. Unconsciously, however, it is certain that they, like other people, have been greatly influenced by the so-called outside pressure,—i.e., the eager intelligent interest now taken by the whole nation in the Navy, and their evident willingness to spend money on it with no niggard hand. The effect of a willing, and even anxious, public is felt in every branch of the Admiralty, and makes officials ask for additions and improve- ments which a few years ago they would have been afraid even to name, lest they should pass for unpractical visionaries.
