A vast scheme of Naval and Colonial defence has been
laid before the French Cabinet. The sum asked for is a milliard of francs (010,000,000), which the Minister of Finance, M. Caillaux, proposes to raise out of ordinary resources without new loans or fresh taxation, distribnting the expenditure over seven years at the rate of 150,000,000 fr. annually. The money is to be devoted to the organisation and improvement of French military ports, coast and colonial defences, new coaling-stations, to submarine cables, and to the building of 6 ironcleds of 14,500 to 15,000 tons, 6 armoured cruisers of equal tonnage, 28 sea-going torpedo-boats, 112 torpedo-boats, and 26 submarine boats. The vessels now in construction will be ready by 1903, and the whole of the new ships by 1907, by which time the French Navy will comprise 28 swift ironclade, 24 armoured cruisers, 52 sea-going torpedo-boats. 263 torpedo-boats, and 38 submarine boats. Inasmuch as the original estimate is likely to be greatly exceeded, M. de Blowitz slims up the scheme as committing France to an outlay of 260,000,000, or three times the amount asked for by M. Lookroy when Minister of Marine last year.
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