New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-15
NEW NAVAL INDUSTRIES.

The new vessels of war for which Secretary
Whitney has invited proposals from ship
builders include three cruisers and two gun
boats. Four of these were authorized by the
Act of March 8, 1885, and an additional cruiser
was provided for by the compromise bill passed
during the last week of the recent session OF
Congress. These AFRO all unarmored vessels,
and like the four which are to be completed
this year are to be constructed Of steel. When
tho DOLPHIN and the first three cruisers were
designed, steel had never been rolled Tor ship
plates in the United States. 1t was an industry
that had to be created. Mr. Roach, with his
usual spirit Of enterprise, designed and intro
duccd in his own rolling mills plant and machin
crv for turning out these plates. His bids for
the four vessels were lower than his nearest
councillors were for three, so that the cost Of
the Dolphin was practically saved by the Gov
crpment's acceptance of his proposals. He was
able TO underbd his competitors because he
had demonstrated that steel plates OF the best
ouality could be economically manufactured
with improved machinery. He had mastered
the mechanical details of the first of the series
If new industries for which the creation OF
modern navy opened the way. If the live
additional vessels soon to be contracted for arc
economically constructed, the result will be
LARGELY due TO the successful introduction OF
stcel-pate rolling by this cnterprising ship
builder.
Tn inviting proposals for the unarmorcd
cruisers and gunboats, Secretary Whitney re-
fcrs to the two armored vessels which he has
been authorized TO build under the recent bill
for the increase OF the Navy. In the form in
which the act originally passed the House. he
was empowered to purchase the armor abroad,
IL he could not make suitable arrangements for
irs manufacture in the United States. This
discretionary clause was wisely stricken out
by the Senate If these two vessels are to DC
built the armor plates must be furnished by
American manufacturers. The Secretary con-
seauently, in anticipation of proposals Tor future
work, invites manufacturers to prepare Tor the
production of amor plates for the ships and
for forging and casting heavy guns Here are
new industries, which are to be introduced IN
this country. When the armored ships are fin
ishcd and suitably armed with heavy ordnance,
there will be plant and machinery in American
ship-yards and foundries for building
the most formidable vessels Of war. The coun-
try will not only have a modern navy, but the
mechanism and facilities for reproducing ships
of the newest and most powerful type.
In view of the creation of the American IN
dustry of rolling steel shp-plates and also OF
the necessity for manufacturing armor plates
and heavy ordnance, Secretary Whltney's hos
tile course in dealing with the contractor for
the first four ships, besides being cruelty
unjust, has been very unfortunate from busl-
ness point of view He now wishes to build
five new ships The contractor who from hay
ing the largest facilities for obtaining the steel
plates of domestic manufacture succeeded he
fore in undertaking his competitors, has been
driven out of business by wanton political per-
sctutiOn. Was it a sound business policy for an
Administration that had steel cruisers to build
TO ruin the only ship builder who could roll
steel plates in his own foundres Or was 1t
altogether eXpcdient, when the construction
0, a new navy was certain to require the INTRO
dnction of new processes and machinery
for working large masses Of war material, to
drag into bankruptcy contractor who had al
ready created an industry to meet the require
mcnts of the Department When shlp-bulldeS
aod steel manufacturers review the outrageous
treatment received by Mr.. Roach at the hands
of a partisan Administration, will they bc
encouraged TO do what he did-found new in-
dusrics at their own risk for the benefit OF the
Department