An
item reported that the parliament was asked for a partly extra ordinary budget
of 55 million crones needed for the building of 4 dreadnoughts, 9 cruisers, 12
torpedo boats and 6 submarines. The edition dated the 28th supplied
more details about the needed budget. The item dated Budapest the 27th
reported that the minister of navy admiral Monteeuculi (1) stated in the
meeting with the Hungarian delegation that the navy was not satisfied for the
coming years with just a small increase of the annual budgets of just 1.500.000
crones to be divided over six years. The asked credits of totally 312 million
crones were just what the budget allowed not what the navy really needed.
Without any doubt was the first dreadnought to be launched before the end of 1911. In 1913 would the
Austrian-Hungarian navy posses 13 battleships, 13 destroyers, 46 torpedo boats
and 12 submarines. But the navy needed in fact much more ships and of more
classes. What she wanted to have were 16 battleships, 12 cruisers, 24
destroyers, 12 torpedo boats and 12 submarines. He confirmed that asking for an
extra ordinary budget was not the best manner to solve problems. It caused
commotion at home and abroad. An increase of the ordinary budget was far more
to be preferred. At the moment was Austro-Hungary considered her defence
strength staying behind the other naval powers. And he ended his statement with
that the costs of one single war were far more as fitting a navy out.
Note
1.
Rudolf graf Montecuccoli degli Erri (22 February 1843 Modena-16 May 1922 Baden-bei-Wien
between 1904 and 1913 the chief of the Austro-Hungarian navy.
