Mr. Churchill explained the Navy Estimates in a vivid and
lucid speech of two and a half hours in the Commons on Tuesday. They were the largest Estimates, he said, ever pre- sented to the House. In the past three years there had been an increase of six and three-quarter millions, apart from new construction. More than two millions of that amount was accounted for by pay and victuals. The laying-in of a large supply of oil had cost one and a half millions. The air service, which had been entirely created during the past three years, had cost nearly a million. One and three-quarter millions had been consumed by all the needs of a larger fleet, more costly ships, and scientific development. Increased Estimates were thus inevitable; all the world was building ships of the greatest power. Even small States were doing it. "It is sport to them. It is life and death to us." Two years ago he bad given a series of programmes of new construction which were to extend over six years. They were:- 4, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4,
as against the German programme of 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 2.
The Admiralty still asked for that, and for nothing more. It satisfied their interpretation of the sixty per cent. standard of superiority over the next strongest naval Power.
