An item reported that the French minister of navy Bernard (1) within some days would present his naval program to the French Parliament dealing with the increase of the French fleet. He had promised this to do during the budget discussions. Intention was to bring the French fleet to an accepted strength compared with the strength of the other naval powers. To obtain this was a new building of a huge scale necessary. Within 8 years were to be built 45 large warships and 175 torpedo boats and destroyers. The main part of the program was to be executed in the first five years when the battleships and destroyers were to be built. The building could not be accelerated regarded the building capacity of the French arsenals and shipyards. For the 220 new ships was a total budget of around 600 million French francs needed. With the 188 million for the ships already being built, would France spent in the next eight years around 800 million French francs just only for increasing her fleet.
Note
1. Minister of navy was Armand Louis Charles Gustave Besnard (11 October 1833 Rambouillet, France-15 July 1903 Rohan, France) minister of navy 17 January-1 November 1895 and 29 April 1896-28 June 1898. Also a navy officer ending his career as vice admiral.
