|(est.) | 48,809,300|1,311,558| 47,497,742| -- |47,497,742| 14,513,500| |1914-15| | | | | | | |(est.) | 51,550,000|1,311,558| 50,238,442| -- |50,238,442| 15,282,950| +-------+-----------+---------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ The First Lord's speech in introducing the Navy Estimates (March 17) came at an acute stage of the Ulster question and was in great part an elaborate defence, addressed to his own party, of the increase during his term of office, and he compared the figures elaborately with those of 1911-12, his predecessor's last year. The increased cost of maintenance--6,250,000_l._--was accounted for, he said, mainly by increased pay, wages, and victuals (2,140,000_l._), oil reserve (1,500,000_l._), and air service (900,000_l._). Apart from these two last items, the whole increase was either automatic or proportioned to the increased size and strength of the Fleet, which again was proportionate to that of other Powers. Great Britain was aiming at completing eight battleship squadrons to Germany's five, with the proper proportion of cruisers and flotillas. Again, against sixteen _Dreadnoughts_ in full commission in 1911-12, there were now thirty-three, many of them much larger and more costly, including nine battle cruisers against Germany's five. As to new construction, about 2,500,000_l._ of the 17,566,000_l._ appropriated in 1911-12 went over into the succeeding years; but for this, the vote of 1914-15 would be less; but he expected great progress to be made, and more money earned by the contractors, in the new year. In 1915-16 the Estimates would probably be substantially lower. Oil fuel, as he showed from a statement of the Chairman of the Royal Commission on fuel and engines, increased the radius of action, saved labour and stowage, rendered it possible to get fresh supplies at sea, and so to escape submarine attacks when going to oiling stations; and the oil tanks were a capital charge. Oil would be used as the sole fuel for small craft and light cruisers of the _Arethusa_ type, and for capital ships of exceptional speed. The air service had increased enormously during his term of office--the number of aeroplanes had increased from 9 to 103, the _personnel_ by the end of the year might be 180 officers and 1,500 men. The seaplane had a great future, especially in scouting and watching the coast. For the security of the east coast from raids the Admiralty relied largely on patrol flotillas of aircraft grouped and held in strong force at strategic points, and able to be directed to any point of attempted landing. Fifteen airships were built, building, or ordered, of which ten had a speed exceeding forty-five miles an hour. Three officers only had been killed, and 131,000 miles flown. As to _personnel_, there were 146,000 men against less than 134,000 in 1911, and he asked for 5,000 more. The whole fleet could be fully