The Berlin correspondent of the Times remarks in Monday's paper
on the present fashion in Germany of extolling the virtues of economy. The North German Gazette points out that in all the recent Estimates a large allowance was made for administrative saving ; economy is all the more necessary because the deferred deficits of the last four years have now to be met. The Cologne Gazette in a similar article mentions the possibility of limiting State industry in favour of private industry in the case of Army and Navy supplies. The Cologne Gazette reminds its readers that private factories and building yards produce more cheaply than State establishments. In all this it may be right to detect the beginnings of the new Imperial Chancellor's policy. On the other hand, pious lectures in honour of economy are not by any means new in Germany, and it may be that other private firms than Krupp's are to be encouraged to help the Imperial Departments in equipping the Services faster than ever. If the Chancellor's appeal through his organs is perfectly genuine, we hope that we may read into it at least some dissatisfaction with the very expensive attempt to outbid Great Britain for supremacy at sea.
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