The sun., 1891-08-11
GOVERNMENT GUN FACTORIES.
They Have Some Advantages Over Private
Works. but both should he Supported.

WAsHfNGToN. Aug. 1O.-Tho unexpected re-
vival OF the old comparisons between Govern
ment and private manufacture OF heavy ord
nance through the bids for constructing the
hundred guns authorized by tho last Con-
eress will be welcome and fruitful II 1t loads
to larger appropriations for the public estab-
lishments at Watervliet1and Washington.
When Congress originally called for the
building OF these high-power guns. one-hal OF
which were to be OF the ten-inch calibre and
the others equally divided between the eight
inch and the twelve-inch. 1t appropriated
s3.775.000 as an adequate limit for their cost.
OF the two bidders the lower exceeded this
limit by much moro than s1.000.000. But rs
Congress was exceedingly anxious to encour-
nRe the private manufacture of heavy ord
nance. It raised Its already liberal maximum
to A,250.0O0. The Midvalo Company there.
upon repeated its former bid. which still ex.
ceeded by moro than $l.000,000 this increased
maximum. while the South Boston works
went much higher: but the Bethlehem works
offered to build the guns for S3.9S9.000. deliv-
ering them at stipulated times.
The difference between the bids OF these
three companies was really most extraordi-
nary. and in fact unaccountable to the general
public. since high-power guns OF every ono OF
these calibres have already been made, and
the cost OF making them is approximately as
CcItuIuuUl0. n ull0EcuCe VI OF SJUU..
coo In the bids on o hundred such guns might
be expected. as in bids for the building Of .
couple OF ships on limit Of 42.OoO.OOO each.
But difference OF $1.500000 and even ~. .O0O..
COO was inexplicable. Still. the practical result
was probably that OF increasing the satsfac-
tion OF the Board Of Ordnance and Fortiflca-
tlons with the lowest Of the three bids. which
was also within the limit fixed by Congress |:
and accordingly 1t recommended that a con-
tract should be given to this bid But at that
point came In Gen. FlaRler. the new Chief Of
Ordnance. with facts and figures 10 show that
tho Government factory at Watervliet even
reckoning in the interest on the cost Of the
Plant. could turn out all these guns for s759.-
oUo less, or u reduction OF one.ilfth. from
ssauenee Could still ihsh the wo!s ets"i ii fV an
S Sy eSp ae eS %s
really make the difference nearer s.. 5000
yersy asserts M In regard to It's own work; grant.
plant in the country, and that the West Troy
further concsdins that Congress eh has M Strongly %
expressed its desire to have the guns manu-
9y tss C e
vlIet's facilities is the plain duty OF Congress-.
hsTs Is sa e 1ospS this de-
icses Of workmen already trained: Skilled s army
aness or E,sk and for the tying UP oi capital.
tractors for sheir time. experience and pro- pro-
fessional skill. must have IN adequate
ne hSs ns san
the risk run. the greater the amount OF capital
| laid out the greater percentage Of profit for
every gun must pass q strict standard test and
s,filu failure re-, to do SO represents large loss.
| profit iOr Itself. ia the contractor
must do. and also needs to make no aiio @ anse
ss it, sosk To h1n The The
guns ut perhaps 20 or 25 per cent; less than The
SdsIs Sf o h
tos years Of the advantages possessed BY tho
sard snIhoIIsss 81 BfoSklyn and u NorIoik nSik
the vessels now under eon.,ruetion there from
the estimates which private ship yards made
to sve It's
,Sst In So. for mainly y hs
ate with that q the Leading men in other cali
velopment OF the shipbuilding resources Of tho
country. which is point Of The highest import
Precisely the same considerations. beyond
fSs building by rrvs
l
considered SO important as the establishment
Of private resources for supplies Of heavy ord
nance In case OF urgent need. In fact. there is
now an urgent need. since several times as
many guns rs this contract provides Tor are
required for coast defence. and some OF those
now to be contracted for will not be finished
until nearly eight years hence. The very fact
| that after deciding that $3.775,00O was more
| than enough for the hundred guns. as no
doubt 1t would DO wero they made at Water
vliet. Congress deliberately added S475.O0O. in
order to ensure their manufacture by private
works. seems to be conclusive in the present
! case. II is hardly an answer to show, as Gen.
| Flagler has shown. that the Government could
make them for s795.G00 loss. and take a very
much shorter time TO do 50 at that. The sum
the amount which Congress- authorized the
Government officers to eXpend.
Far more important. however. than this con-
c!usion Is second namely that Congress
SHOULD promptly give Watcrvlet a plant which
will enable 1t to turn out another hundred
guns simultaneously with those to be int rusted
10 private contract especially since they can
| be completed SO much more rapidly and mt 40
much loss cost. Both supplies would come
far short OF what our sea-coAst defence is
known to require. II Gen. Flagler's demon
ration only opens the eyes OF Congress 10 this
TACT 1t will have accomplished q valuable
result.
Tho Incomes or Great Lawyers.
To rur Ep,rop ,u Tuu E,,H-C,s. r. ..