London, Jan. 8.
Now that Italy has announced her new naval plan, a considerable increase in the British naval programme for 1938 is anticipated here, The budget figures for national defence which will be published in March are expected to reach a record sum.
In a recent speech, Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for Ca-ordination of Defence, indicated a total figure of from £320000,000 to £340,000,000. This sum, it may be pointed out, was indicated prior to Italy's announcement of her naval plan, The allotted figure was to be distributed in the following manner: the Navy, £125000,000; for the Air Force, £113000000; for the Army, 102,000,000; and for the financing of defence measures for the protection of the civilian population, £ 10,000,000.
The naval programme was to con: sist of an acceleration in the construction -of destroyers and submarines, and the building of five capital ships.
As for the Air force, the War Office has kept its plans secret, although it may be expected that forty new airports will probably be built, An increase in mechanization and armament was anticipated for the Army, while the War Office will probably continue its effort to increase the number of men in sérvice—
Favas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.