New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-17
GOVERNMENT STEEL TESTS.
A CONFERENCE OF NAVY OFFICIALS WITH
sHlPBuMDERs AND sTEELMAKERs.

EASIER CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL TDss ASKED
yoR BY VARIOUS spEAkEns-oAusrs o.
DELAY IN DELIVERING STEEL n
THE sHrBUIIDH3e.
M 1xlEoAAru 10 TEE rsnrSAi
Washington. Oct ls.-A eonSssenOe a greet tnper-
0nce to new industry Wa that OF To-Day between
tho Navy Department and the steel wofteFs a NJ
oo0noy. The Department has expcfsenoed some ain
Guilty In securing material for Government WosA In
contractors Of Naval cruisers have complained q IN
indifference smoug steel 20 sooert orders
for steel: and one Of the shpbuAers, who hA4 been
threatened with withdrawal Of his contract Afsee
waiting come months for . Pitss0urg nrm 70 Nh M
order, forced to 90 to another concern which con-
oern. It was represented already mad 0e ouik o.
patronage. The steel men themselves reported that
they preferred the patronage Of private firms to nng
any orders for Government steel In one instance.
that OF Park Brothers Co., the drm surrendered it,
contract plates for the Texas building ct Nof1o
because Of continued reflections o. matensi o. taat
yard when the expense Of transportation ana repiac-
inR the supply was borne by tho firm. Evidence was
presented that under existing circumstances tho up-
ply Of Government steel must devoave uSen single
firm.
II WA these representatons and a. desire Of Sec
rotary Tracy to complete at the earliest possible dae
tn vessels now authorized that led to the conference
Of to-day The circumstances are not unnEe those
y
ney's administration. Then the production Of steel
hsd not reached the present grade Of efficiency and
oapacity and the demand for relief was moro urgent
perhaps than It is to-day. The complaint then. IS
now was OF the severity OF tho Departments
steel specifications; and there are those to-day. as
| there were at that ume VINO eeneVc 'nis nisn
standard should be insisted upon. The present
chi.s ~ the Steel Board, Captain Montgomery
sIcard argues that the strctness complained Of has
had the effect OF producing better quality OF steel
than wouh have been the case had the stcelworkeS
heen allowed 10 exercise their own judgment ana their
own tests. The fundamental requirements have the
h.as NJ law no remedy Of the general specifications
COW como other than BY an appeal to Congress- It Is
30 cn-4a,n minor rcaurements-certan details n the
rsra,,.ioo and production Of the materts-that com
n,ant rs made and relief rests with the Department
which In the person OF the Steel Board 10 responsible
for the specifications.
Al ,oasv's conference the Government was rep-
resented BY Engineerin-Chef Melville CHIEF Con-
strc.or wilson Captain Scard Lieutenant Curtis, aud
Naval Constructors IIichborn, Mnonye, Nixon and Iay
Tor The Assistant Secretary Of the Navy acted as onair
man. Calling the meeting to order. he stated oriehy
the purposes OF the gathering recited the complaints
received and added that. while the more expedtlous
delivery Of material desired. Il was not the inten-
ton OF the Department TO ASK or suggest any o"er-
inc Of the standard now adopted.
Irwin scott of the Union Iron Works. Of San Fran
CISCO opened tile discussion in behalf OF the snip
builders. lie made some pointed remarks on the
Governments position In the matter which hao
tendency 10 discourage. rather than foster, now
industry 1t was shortsghted policy on the part OF
the Government TO exact conditions WHICH were
destined to conane the work to few establishments.
lie was prepared to show that the Department PAID
more for 10, material than private purchasers who
insisted only on reasonable merit; He asserted that
the Government paid double price for material WITH
out securing . proportionate increase In quaiity'
\ hto erarfn
cross examination Of other representatives OF snip
builders and steel-workers. The great bulk OF MS
material came from the East, and any decrease IN its
cost would be appreciated, the expense OF transpora-
ton being an important factor In his bids Tor Gov
crnment work.
William T. Master Of the Columbia Iron Works. OF
baltimore the builders Of the Petrol and TWO other
cruisers regarded the high chemical test as response
BILE for some deiay. He recommended that $he M
spectors be allowed discretion in the Interpretation
of the Departmental specifications He thought the
rejection Of material for slight defects unjust the IN
spector should be a thoroughly acquainted with
the work in hand. The speaker complained that the
inspectors were not sufficiently familiar with the
purposes of material and he opposed too literal 3D.
herence to the steel specifications.
General HYDE of the Bath Iron Works. said his ex-
pertcnce with Government work confined to bnld-
ing at present two cruisers The firm had ordered
plates and frames last May the contract calling for
delivery In thirty days. The frames had been de-
uvered recently; but the plates had not yet arrived
and work almost at standstnl for that reason
The manufacturers complained OF tronbe In the Gov
eminent inspection. which judged to be
too eevere, the plates which had been
rejected By the Government had been sold for
marine boilers. and proved to be excellent for that
purpose The firm, General Hyde said. had no 0m-
Guilty In getting orders filled by the same fouHry In
ten to fifteen days for steel for mescAsntk rypses
His judgment In favor OF q chAnOoaA ne1seetne
IN
- F. Palmer, tr., OF the New-York n1ebudding
concern proposed the substitution Of forgnos ~ caSt
ipgs and bed plates. Harrison Lorng, IT,. on SCUM
Boston. Mass. representing firm building CRUISER
reported great delay In delivery OF steel. and sug-
gested o modification of the specifications Repro
sentatives Of the Cramps and Of S. J. Moore, Sons
Co., of Elizabeth n. j.. also spoke to this effect
Mr.. Wetherlu, Of the standard steel Casting Com
pany said the chemical and physical tests OF steel
should be slightly modified. and the result would
be the procuring Of better castings and an avoidance
uf rejection material in many cases He suggested
the appointment Of board consisting of the steel
inspector at the works. representative OF the steel
woher ana ATTY o tine tne apS Sd de-
eide upon the acceptance or rejection o. ma,er rnd
He had turned ont some plans which were rsaroeo
The solid steel Casting Company. Of Alliance Ohio
said that the specifications were not source OF an,
liable overtake any imperiectly equipped estao,
lishnlent. The remedy would come with the eompietsd
plant The tendency among some steel nrns was
MidvuIe steel Company had no objections TO make
10 the chemical OF ply seal tests: More Latitude
should be allowed tho Inspector, ne thous9t Tne de-
mand FOR castings was greater than the supply.
Mr. Paige, Of Park brothers q Co.. OF P1tfsburg
said his Arm had Withdrawn from Government worA
lie icgaried the steel requirements Is excessive
and the series OF inspections as unjust and use
les, He said his firm would not unoI
any circumstances take any steel contracts wMe
the pck,ng process retained one great cause 0i
deiax and annoy ance generally was the inspector
lie came and went he chose he WAS governed only
n6i
was lawn tennis game in progress anywhere In town.
the furnaces could wait -. -. .. .s
Captain sicard asked why this neglect OF GUY Was n
mot reported to the Department. and Mr. faiSe IN
timated that would have avaed HUE Mr. fi.n, ~
va rather earnest in his remarks. He efOseI tnGM ~
Recommending that tile inspection at the WORKS shoun