Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-01
KEEP UP THE STANDARD.

Navy Department next week is Tor consul
tation with the Secretary Of the Treasury
over what, according TO a statement which
seems torepresent the complainants, is very
singular complaint. The assertion is that
the requirements Of the Board of Construc.
ton of the new naval vessels placed such q
high standard of quality upon the steel to
be used that no works in the country, ex-
cept those of Carnegie, Phipps & Co., Of
this city, can supply the orders. 1t is stated
that the same trouble arose during Secre-
tary whitney's administration, the speci6-
cations for the steel being so strict that no
one but Pittsburg firms could meet them.
The shipbuilders therefore refused to make
bids; and after conference Secretary Whit
ney ordered the specifications to be modi-
ned. The complaint is that the old strict
ness has been restored, and that ship
builders, being unable to buy steel which
will meet the specifications of any other
works but those in this city, are on the
point of Withholding proposals.
Tine first thought such statement evokes
is that Carnegie, Phipps & Co. should pre-
sent the dissatisfied shipbuilders and their
rivals in the steel trade with valuable re-
turn for the splendid advertisement. 1t is
here set forth as matter which is likely to
arrest the construction of our new navy that
no firm in the country can make steel to
rival the high standard of our manutactur-
ers. The steel trade is open to competition.
Carnegie. Phipps & Co. have no way of
preventing competitors from making just as
good steel as they do. But it is asserted
that no one does do so; and in order that
there may be competition the Secretary of
the Navy is called upon to modify the spec
ifcatlons and lower the standard. So far as
Carnegie, Phipps & Co. are concerned, it
seems as if they ought to be willing to sur
render a part of the naval business in return
for this effective method of calling the at
tention OF the country to the unequaled
standard and quality of their product.
But with regard to the naval interests Of
the country the case is not so clear. The
importance of using none but the best ma
terials in the construction of the new navy
is clear at all times, and has been made es-
pecially prominent of late. The armor
plate tests have developed the fact that the
inferior quality of English armor plate has
rendered large share of her navy practi-
cally worthless, and has made the millions
spent on those vessels virtual loss. If the
modification" of the standard should make
our naval vessels inferior in strength, the
loss to the nation, when the fact was discov-
Grad ha he aoef af tha
vessels. OF course, tine specifications should
not contain fanci!ul and needless conditions
as to processes which confine the work to
one firm and shut out just as good steel pro-
duced by other processes. There is no direct
allegation that such is the case. The COM
plant is that the standard established by
the Sicard Board is So unreasonably high
that none but the Carnegie works can meet
it. To such a complaint the answer is OBJ
vious that no attainable standard can be TOO
high in the construction of vessels on which
the safety and honor of the nation may de-
pend for their preservation.
Beyond this it is not clear what prevents
firms who desire to compete from entering
upon it so as to make their product fulfill
the requirements. II their plants are not
suited to the production of the requisite
class of steel. the large amount Of naval con-
struction that Congress has authorized would
justify them in remodeling their plants.
No manufacturing firm ever loses anything
by fitting itself to turn out the best work;
but no tendency in that direction is shown
in the statement of the difficulty. The sist
of the affair seems to be stated in the case Of
a firm which had 200 tons of steel rejected
for not coming up to the standard, and now
says it will not furnish any more material.
If it is not willing to furnish the best
material, it should be allowed to adhere to
that determination.
The Navy Department must give all
manufacturers an equal chance to furnish
steel of the best quality; but it should not be
persuaded to lower the standard of quality,
in any essentia! respect.