1899.] Germany. — The Navy. [279
The two most interesting items of the extraordinary non- recurring expenditure were : for the Army, 25,706,411 marks (41,784,088 marks) ; and for the Navy, 40,301,000 marks (33,879,000 marks). In the Army Estimates the number of officers was calculated at 23,850 ; of military surgeons at 2,165 ; of non-commissioned officers at 80,556 ; and of private soldiers at 491,136. In the Naval Estimates the number of combatant officers was calculated at 1,195 ; of naval surgeons at 153 ; and of seamen at 28,204.
On the introduction of these Estimates in the Beichstag, the Chancellor and the Foreign Secretary made important state- ments as to the increase of the German Navy which had been fore- shadowed by the Emperor in a speech at Hamburg in October and in numerous articles in the semi-official papers. The following was the statement made by the Chancellor on this occasion : —
" Although the Estimates which have been laid before the House have been drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the Navy Act of April 10, 1898, I must not conceal the fact that the Government has come to the conclusion that the strength of the Navy as settled by that act needs to be increased. Alterations have taken place since the passing of that act in all the political circumstances which bear upon the marine interests of Germany. These circumstances Germany must take into account in dealing with the development of her sea power, and they place us before the grave question, whether we are adequately armed for all eventualities. To this question the Government is unable to reply in the affirmative. I have, therefore, in the name of the Government, to make the follow- ing statement to the House : In view of the great importance of the Navy question, the Government feels compelled to inform the Reichstag that a bill to amend the Navy Act is in prepara- tion, and that this bill is intended to secure a substantial increase in the strength of the fleet. It is proposed, subject to any changes which the Federal Council may make in the bill, to double the number of battleships and of the great ships employed on foreign service, while at the same time doing away with the squadron for coast defence. The period within which this increase of strength is to take place is not to be fixed by legislation ; the number of ships, for the construction of which provision is to be made in the Estimates, will be settled in the same way as the other details of the Estimates. The Government assumes, as regards this point, that, in accordance with the principles generally acted upon in settling the Estimates, the cost of the ships which are required to bring the Navy up to the required strength will be met by means of loans/ '
The Chancellor's statement was followed by an elaborate speech from Count Biilow, the Foreign Secretary, of which the following were the most important passages : —
" The proposed increase of the Navy has become necessary owing to the change in the international situation, and in the
