French Navy - 1896 - Budget Estimates
In 1890 the sums voted for the Navy amounted to £7,996,147 ; in 1896 they amount to £10,635,114, which was considerably less than the total for either of the preceding two years. In thus reducing expenditure Parliament was actuated by financial considerations. The Report of the Budget Committee was nevertheless careful to point out that the sum authorised for naval expenditure of France, when compared with similar expenditure in other countries, exceeded by some £800,000 that which the Powers forming the Triple Alliance devote to their Navies.
The French financial year extends from the 1st January to the 31st December. An estimate of requirements is submitted by the Government early in the spring preceding the year to which they relate, and is examined by a special committee, which of late years had acquired the habit of materially modifying the propositions of the Admiralty. As the estimates are, as a rule, voted during the month of December, the program of action has consequently to be entirely remodelled at the last moment. This system is obviously defective. Thus, for the year 1895, the Admiralty had drawn up a program for shipbuilding which was rejected by the committee. A change of government took place in the interval, and it was not until the 16th of December that the matter was finally settled. There remained, therefore, only a few days in which to readjust the estimates for 1896.
The expenditure on the Navy is divided into fifty-seven heads, necessitating a correspondingly large number of entries and accounts. The impression prevails in France that this method is a guarantee of accurate account-keeping, but this is probably not the case. The appendices to the estimates convey valuable information as to the expenditure under the different heads, but as they are framed one year before the estimates come into force, and more than two years before the closing of the accounts, the details are as a rule incorrect, besides which the Admiralty is not bound by them.
Among these items of expenditure there are several not directly connected with the Navy, such as those relating to the marine troops, who, we may again point out, are never employed on board ships of war. It is possible that in the course of 1896 the provision for these would be handed over to the war department, when they would form part of the colonial army. The Navy Estimates was thereby be relieved to the extent of some £800,000 at least.
The personnel and materiel of the French Navy were superior to the administration. As to the ships, it may be said that they possess the qualities and defects inherent at the period of their conception. Some of them, such as the Dupuy de Lome, showed that the designer clearly understood the conditions and requirements of modern warfare. It was, however, impossible to derive full advantage from the professional skill and knowledge of the eminent naval architects and officers having control of the chief departments, owing to the frequent changes of government and the consequent changes in the administration which have taken place. The result was that the condition of the fleet was not in practice quite on a level with the progress which has been made in theory. Nevertheless, the ships were well armed and equipped, and are manned by skilled and experienced officers and well trained crews. To be in a state of preparation for war was the object which all concerned had in view.
It is not possible to speak in equally high terms of the administration, which is complicated, wasteful, and infected with the spirit of red-tapeism, the result being the employment of a crowd of persons engaged in unprofitable and useless work. With regard to the dockyards, France has a passion for uniformity, and has accordingly equipped and arrayed all these establishments on the same footing, according to fixed rule, without considering the services expected of them. The numerous workmen had a good deal of professional skill, but for the same cost they produce less than the British dockyard employe. They show too great a disposition to regard themselves as public functionaries.
A powerful Minister, thoroughly familiar with the requirements of the service, could alone initiate and apply the necessary reforms ; but of those who have been at the head of the French Admiralty during the last twenty-five years, not one has had the time to take action. Under these circumstances it is scarcely surprising that proposals for administrative reform have been without result. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, however, France has been able to maintain a Navy which, though not beyond criticism, held the second place among the Navies of the world.
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