vessels were held at the disposition of the Admiralty for employment as armed cruisers when required. In their main features the new agreements would be similar to former agreements, but in some particulars modifications had been made, based on experience, and more of the great companies were now braced.

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With regard to the interesting question of submarine vessels, Lord Selborne said that five of the type invented by Mr. Holland had been ordered, the first of which should be delivered in the autumn of 1901.

"What the future value of these boats may be in naval warfare can only be a matter of conjecture. The experiments with these boats will assist the Admiralty in assessing their true value. The question of their employment must be studied, and all developments in their mechanism carefully watched by this country."

Satisfactory progress, the First Lord said, had, on the whole, been made during the current year on new construction in the dockyards. It was anticipated that, despite some delays which had occurred in deliveries of armour and work on propelling machinery, and the large amount of repairing work performed on ships in reserve, the amounts voted for labour and issue of ordinary materials would in almost every respect be fully realised.

In regard to the new shipbuilding programme, Lord Selborne's statement was as follows:

"It is proposed to lay down in the coming financial year three battleships, six armoured cruisers, two third-class cruisers, ten torpedo-boat destroyers, five torpedo boats, two sloops, and five submarine boats (ordered and work commenced in 1900). Of these, two battleships, one armoured cruiser and two sloops will be built in the Royal dockyards. The rest will be built by contract. The total vote proposed for new construction is 9,003,2561., of which 8,465,4067. will be devoted to pushing forward the ships already in hand to the utmost of our power and to work on the submarine boats, and 537,850l. to starting work on the additional ships to be commenced. The object aimed at in this distribution of the money is to advance the work on the many ships now under construction as far as possible towards completion, and to place the ships to be newly commenced in such a position that the utmost possible amount of work can be put into them in 1902-3. The arrears in the delivery of hulls, armour plates, guns, gun mountings and machinery have been a continual source of anxiety equally to the last and the present Board. The financial position of Messrs. Maudslay and of Messrs. Earle greatly contributed to the difficulties experienced in the deliveries of machinery. A committee has been appointed to thoroughly investigate the causes of the arrears in every case, and to advise how a recurrence of the evil can best be obviated. The committee consists of Mr. H. O.

Arnold-Forster, M.P.; Rear-Admiral A. K. Wilson, C.B., V.C.; Sir Thomas Sutherland, G.C.M.G.; and Sir Francis Evans, K.C.M.G."

The amount required under the Naval Ordnance Vote was larger than the original vote for 1900-1 by 915,000l. An additional estimate of 753,2001. was, however, taken under this vote during the year, so the net increase over 1900-1 was 161,8007. It was explained that "A sum of 420,000l. is included in the estimate in practical completion of the policy of increasing the reserves of guns and ammunition. Provision is also included for the continuation of the issue of armour-piercing shell to the fleet. Deliveries of the new design of 12 inch B.L. wire gun have been made, and these guns are now mounted in the battleships of the Formidable class. Some delay has occurred in the completion of the new 9.2 inch B.L. guns, as the trial of the first gun showed that a slight modification of design was necessary. Deliveries are, however, now being made, the first two guns having been mounted in his Majesty's ship Cressy, and it is hoped that the guns for succeeding ships will be ready by the time they are required. A new gun of 75 inch calibre has been tried satisfactorily, and has been approved. A 5 inch B.L. gun has been converted to take the Welin breech screw, and the design has been approved... Wireless telegraph apparatus has been obtained and supplied to a certain number of ships at home and abroad."

After explaining the progress made under the Naval Works Loan Acts, the enclosure and defence of harbours, and the adapting of naval ports to the present needs of the fleet, as well as with the works at the Naval Barracks, Lord Selborne added that a Naval Works Loan Bill to provide during the next two years for certain works and for the expenditure on works already authorised would shortly be introduced.

On the same day as that on which the First Lord's statement was issued there appeared also an interim report from the Water-tube Boiler Committee appointed by the Admiralty in September, 1900. Briefly, the committee, which was a strong one, while approving the water-tube boiler system in principle, reported, with one exception, in terms markedly unfavourable to the Belleville type, as to which they recommended that it should only be retained in completed ships, or in ships so far advanced that any alteration in the type of boiler would delay their completion. They further suggested that if a type of water-tube boiler had to be decided on at once for use in the Navy, some or all of four types, which they specified, other than the Belleville, should be taken. The First Lord's statement contained a paragraph to the effect that all outstanding orders for boilers should be reconsidered, and, if necessary, revised in the light afforded by the Boiler Committee's report.

Mr. Arnold-Forster (Belfast, W.) so long known as an unsparing critic of the administration of the war services, made an

interesting speech when (March 18), as Secretary to the Admiralty, he introduced the Navy Estimates in the House of Commons. He desired, as he said, to show that value would be obtained even for the unprecedentedly large sum of 30,875,6767. -a net increase of 2,183,7761. upon the total figures for the preceding year. There was an increase of 233,000l. for the personnel, and an addition of 1,436,7007. for the construction of ships and kindred services, including guns. In the personnel there would be an addition of 287 officers, 1,150 seamen, 1,000 marines, 500 stokers, and 100 electricians. The net result would be that the Admiralty would have available for manning the fleet in case of war 118,625 men upon the active list, 28,650 men in the Royal Naval Reserve, and 7,300 in the Royal Fleet Reserve, or a total of 154,575 men. As to the garrisons of the coaling stations Mr. Arnold-Forster said that the Admiralty must have more time to consider the War Secretary's grave proposal that it should take over responsibility for them.

Turning to the question of matériel, he drew attention to the vote for guns, which showed an increase of 161,000l., and stated that now the delivery of guns would continue with absolute regularity, and that there was to be a new gun which would be equal, if not superior, to any gun in the Navy of any foreign Power. The Admiralty was now in a position to supply the fleet with armour-piercing projectiles, and the adoption of a new powder, which, it was hoped, would be less destructive to the tubes of our guns, was under the consideration of the Explosives Committee. The amount of ammunition for gunnery training-ships would be increased, and steps were being taken to render our coaling arrangements throughout the world adequate to the growing needs of the Navy. He announced that sixteen obsolete vessels had been struck off the list of effective ships. A certain number of ships with muzzle-loading guns, however, remained on the list, and must do so until they could be replaced. For construction 9,000,000l. was put down, which was the largest sum ever devoted to this purpose in one year. The Admiralty had completed, or commenced, or asked authority to commence, since the completion of the Majestic class, twenty-three battleships. Of these five were built, and authority was being sought to commence three more. Since the completion of the Diadem class the Admiralty had commenced, or asked authority to commence, thirty cruisers, of which the majority were armoured, and many of them would be available at an early date. Commenting on the delays in construction, he said he believed the causes of delay were diminishing and would pass away, for the plant of the armour makers had now been greatly increased. The delays in the delivery of machinery were largely due to the engineers' strike, for since that strike not one ship had been completed within the contract time. The arrears were deplorable, but their amount had been exaggerated, and as a matter of fact we still maintained our pre-eminence

in regard to rapidity of construction. The only Power that approached us was Germany. The Admiralty were taking steps to prevent arrears, and had appointed a committee to inquire fully into the question. The year's programme of construction included three battleships, six first-class armoured cruisers, two third-class cruisers, ten destroyers, five torpedo boats, and five submarine vessels. All these would be commenced. He was glad that submarine boats were to be built, because it was necessary to gain a practical experience of these vessels. With regard to the subject of water-tube boilers, which was agitating the minds of many people, he said the only satisfactory solution of the question would be one that gave absolute security to the fleet. He did not blame those who were responsible for the introduction of these boilers into the Navy. In fact, the committee recently appointed endorsed the opinion that water-tube boilers ought to be used. The committee, whose impartiality and competence could not be questioned, had in an interim report condemned the Belleville boiler, whilst it had not committed itself to approval of any of the alternative boilers. That left the Admiralty in a difficult position. Further experiments were to be made, and it was hoped they would not cause great delay. For his part, he did not think there need be such delay, for there were two kinds of boilers which might be found serviceable. He asked the House not to entertain any exaggerated notions as to the danger of these boilers, for scores of ships, both men-of-war and merchant vessels, were fitted with them, and were making very satisfactory voyages. The Admiralty intended to make the change which the committee had recommended, and to make it retrospective, if that could be done without delaying unduly the completion of ships under construction; but they could not consent to weaken the fleet in order to comply with what they imagined was an exaggerated and fanciful view of the situation. He submitted the estimates to the House in the confident assurance that they would be sanctioned readily, as the nation was determined that the Navy should be able to protect this country effectually.

Before Mr. Arnold-Forster's statement a good deal of time had been occupied in a discussion raised by Mr. J. Redmond, on a motion for the adjournment, of the action of the Government in grouping together the outstanding nineteen Supplementary Civil Service and Revenue votes, amounting to 898,3161. Objection was taken to this course on behalf of the leader of the Opposition, who was unavoidably absent, and also by one or two Unionist members. Mr. Balfour, however, justified what was proposed as an emergency measure necessary for the progress of business, combined with the adequate discussion of the votes, seeing that the estimates must be passed in time to allow of the introduction of the Appropriation Bill that day week, and that if these votes were separated two

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whole parliamentary days might be spent in fifty-seven divisions upon them. The adjournment was negatived by 205 to 119. After Mr. Arnold-Forster's statement, the Consolidated Civil Service and Revenue Supplementary Estimates were taken, and on the item-included in them, however oddly, as being part of the Colonial Services vote-of the cost of the Ashanti war, Mr. Lough (Islington, W.) and Mr. Buxton (Poplar) reviewed the preceding events, and charged the Colonial Secretary or local officials with mismanagement and indiscretion.

Mr. Chamberlain, in his reply, explained the principles upon which the policy of the Government in West Africa was based. He said that, having succeeded in settling satisfactorily the boundaries of our protectorates and spheres of influence, they had made preparations for the attacks of native tribes by forming the West African Frontier Force, which had already done such good service. The war in Ashanti he ascribed to our interference with the cruel customs of the natives, such as human sacrifices and slavery, and to the fact that they were determined to try conclusions with the British. The collection of the revenue was not the cause of the outbreak. He approved fully of Sir F. Hodgson's attempt to secure the King's golden stool, as that was regarded as the symbol of supremacy, and our possession of it would do more to assure peace than almost anything else. Of our agents in the Colony he spoke in terms of great appreciation.

On the following day (March 19) the discussion was continued, mainly by Radical and Nationalist members; but a reduction on the vote challenged was defeated by 254 to 137. Later in the evening, in a discussion on a vote for military expenditure in East Africa, connected with an expedition to avenge the murder of Mr. Jenner, a British officer, Mr. Buxton, who had placed upon Mr. Chamberlain the responsibility for the Ashanti troubles, expressed his wish that, in the interest of business-like administration, the charge of the East African Protectorate should be handed over to the Colonial Office.

On the same evening, on which also Mr. Chamberlain had had to announce the failure of the peace negotiations which had been conducted between Lord Kitchener and General Botha, he was challenged by Mr. Markham (Mansfield, Notts) on account of the inclusion of Mr. Loveday on the commission which, under the chairmanship of Mr. Lyttelton (Warwick), had held an inquiry into the concessions granted by the late Government of the Transvaal. Some sensation was caused by the violence with which Mr. Markham accused a certain firm, having great interests in the Transvaal, with being neither more nor less than a gang of common thieves and swindlers. prepared, he said, to stand an action for libel from the firm attacked, and therefore would repeat his language outside the House. His complaint was that Mr. Loveday was a member of a firm controlled by the firm in question, and that therefore

He was