Fully three-fourths of the state contributions is expenditure on military necessities; in addition there are subventions to various colonies and to colonial railways and cables, and the expenditure on the penitentiary establishments; an item not properly chargeable to the colonies.
The total local expenditure of London for the year1906-1907was £24,703,087 (in1898-1899it was only £14,768,757), the balance of £9,761,734 being made up by receipts-in-aid and imperial subventions.
The Dutch, who had to pay subventions to their German allies, and to support a large army, could spare little for their fleet.
Subventions are paid for regular steamship service at the principal ports, the total expenditure in1907-1908being £42,876.
The government offered subventions to those who would provide cold-storage warehouses at various points where these were necessary, and also arranged with the owners of ocean steamships to provide cold-storage chambers on them by means of mechanical refrigerators.