The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-24
staal for Our War ships.

remedy for that obstacle to the progress OF
the builders. To that end Secretary Tracy
has summoned them all 10 Washington. As
is usually the case IN such affairs, one lays
the blame upon another, who. in turn,
places it upon third, and 50 on until it is
brought back to the department in the form
of claim that the requirements are too
severe. Since those requirements were dis
tinctly SIT forth in the contract, they clearly
had every opportunity to judge OF their
severity before undertaking the work, and
it Is rather late TO enter complaint of them
now
Coming down 10 the truth Of the matter
the whole difficulty probably lies in the
surprise Of the steel manufacturers that the
| government should actually require an ex-
&C. fulfllmsnt Of the conditions Of the con-
| tracts Prior to the Cleveland administration
many of the stipulations Of such contracts
were regarded as mere formalities to be
| followed or ignored. according
to the convenience of the contractor,
and Secretary Whitney's course in COM
polling exact compliance with each stipu-
lation fairly paralyzed them with astonish-
ment With the accession of another re-
| publican administration, however, they
! expected a relapse into the old lax methods.
But, apparently, it has not come, and that
seems to be a source of some confused
wonder.
This conference is especially intended TO
bring about some understanding under
which there shall be no delay ia the receipt
Of steel plates for the numerous naval yes
sells now being constructed and about to be
commenced and in supplying steel for the
big guns which are to be put into the YES
sells. 1t is not intended. however, to hold
the discussions strictly TO this subject, and
attention will DO given to any topic con-
nected with the relations between the gov
eminent and naval contractors which may
be brought up. 1t is more than likely that
one of the principal topics of the conference
will be the test which steel is required to
stand before it Is accepted by the govern
ment
Many Of the steel manufacturers who are
doing work for the government complain
Of the severity of these tests Secretary
Whitney at one time had to postpone the
date fixed for opening proposals for ships
for the new navy because the tests to be re-
quired were so severe that ship builders
could not get steel makers to undertake to
supply the steel, and they claim that the
terms had to be considerably modified be-
fore any bids could be got. Since that time
the standard of the steel inspection board
has been raised, the steel makers claim.
until now the requirements are higher than
those which they say nobody would ac-
cept" from Mr.. Whitney.
To this they attribute the difficulty the
government finds in getting steel as fast as
it is needed for gus and vessels. Lot after
lot is rejected because it falls short of some
one Of the requirements. and it takes just
as long TO make a defective plate as to
make one that passes the inspectors Most
OF this rejected steel, according to the
makers, is of such superior quality that 1t
is readily purchased by private ship
builders, and the steel men argue that if
1t Is good enough for them it ought to be
good enough for the government
Still the steel makers are not altogether
unanimous upon the question of tests. 1t is
understood that the big Carnegie firm is
quite content with the present requirements.
Some Of the others declare that the present
tests are really discrimination in favor of
the Carnegie people, because the latter are
better equipped to turn out the high quality
steel. But that is not valid nor a rea-
sonable objection. Only the very best quail
ity of every material used should be allowed
to enter the construction of those ships, and
the standard should not be lowered one
iota from that high point. Those
properly barred out. They cannot
reasonably expect the government to formu-
late its requirements merely to suit their
present facilities If they want the work
they must get what is necessary to do it
properly. Their statement that steel re-
jected by the government is readily sold to
| private ship builders has no force whatever,
| as it would there be put to an entirely differ
emit use. And they omit TO state that it COM
mands a much lower price than the govern
ment pays for material of the proper
| quality.
No doubt but the steel makers will unite
| in a concerted effort to hammer down the
standard; but the secretary owes it to him
self and the country to stand firm for the
lest materials that can be produced for the
purposes to which they are to be respect
lively put.
Those ships cost enough to be first class,
aud the secretary should insist upon hav-
| ing them 10 built both in material and
workmanship as to be a credit to the
country and a conspicuous addition to the
modern ornaments of the world.