The Navy Estimates were published on Friday morning. It is
impossible ifor us to discuss at short notice so long and important a document. We may note, however, its salient features. Five new Dreadnoughts are to be laid down this year, and provision is made for 3,000 more men. The increase in the total Naval expenditure over last year will be £3,789,000. Of this increase all but a million is in the shipbuilding vote. The total expenditure in 1911-12 will be £44,392,000, whereas last year it was £40,603,000. Beyond the five new Dread- noughts, there are to be foar more small cruisers, twenty destroyers, and six submarines. It is noted in the Memoran- dum that the Australian Government has decided not to ask for any contribution from Imperial funds towards the main- tenance of the Australian unit. The Commonwealth will thus not only build at its own cost one Dreadnought, three cruisers and six destroyers, but will also meet all the expenses of maintaining them in commission. The generosity and patriotism of the people of the Commonwealth will be recognised throughout the British Empire. We feel sure that the possession of its own fleet and the provision for its maintenance by Australia will greatly stimulate interest in sea power in the island continent. That is very necessary, for no part of the British Empire is more deeply c oncerned with the maintenance of our command of the sea than is Australia.
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