Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/54

 46] ENGLISH HISTOEY. [mabch

supplemental programme of 1898, were in hand one at Pembroke and the others by contractors. Two other cruisers, included in the supplemental programme, of equal speed but somewhat different design and armament, were awaiting tenders, and would be put in hand without delay. Of the second-class cruisers three of the Arrogant class and three of the improved Talbot class (Hermes) would be delivered in course of the financial year, and ten third-class cruisers of the Pelorus type were in a fair way of completion either during or soon after the financial year. Six sloops of the Condor class and four twin-screw gunboats of the Dwarf class were approaching completion. The torpedo boat destroyers did not show quite so satisfactorily, and the orders for twelve new vessels had not been placed. Of the forty-two destroyers of 26-7 knots two did not pass their trial, but of the fifty of thirty knots thirty-one only had been tried and delivered, and of the remainder some had passed their preliminary trial.

The shipbuilding programme for the year 1899-1900 included the laying down of two battleships, two first-class armoured cruisers, three smaller cruisers, and two sloops for river service.

The supply of naval ordnance had been equal to the increased demands of the fleet. A 12-in. breechloading wire gun for battleships, and a 9-in. similar gun for cruisers had been adopted, the conversion of 6-in. breechloaders to quick-firers for sea-going ships was almost completed, and the magazine rifle had been supplied throughout the service, and both cordite ammunition and cordite cartridges continued to be supplied without difficulty.

The new works for which provision was made in the estimates were not of striking importance. At Wei-hai-wei it was proposed to begin the establishment of a naval depdt ; at Malta further accommodation was to be obtained ; at Gibraltar, where the works had been transferred to a contractor, the Admiralty mole had been brought up to water level through its entire length, affording protection against torpedo attack, and the commercial mole to be finally completed in 1903, had made satisfactory progress ; and at Portland, Dover and Sand- wich, the works under contract were being steadily pushed forward. At Hong-Kong the area of the dockyard and water frontage had been doubled, and at Portsmouth, Haulbowline, Devonport, Chatham, etc., works were in progress to adapt the ports to the present needs of the fleet.

The following abstract of the Navy Estimates 1899-1900 shows the expenditure proposed as compared with that of the previous year : —

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