The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21
NAVY ranD AND coNTRAcT SnIpS.
The Government n Good Buiider Vet Pri-
Nnte EnterprIse ShomId ne Preferred.


vate Enterprise should be Preferred.
wAsHISGToN Oct. nO.-The degree OF success
achieved By the Maine, the first of our battle
ships completed and officially tested. is all the
more gratifying from her having been built IN a
Government yard, And the same feeling OF
congratulation is excited by the prospect that
the battle ship Texas and the protected cruisers
Cincinnati and Raleigh will Also prove them
selves on trial runs as satisfactory in the point
of engine power and speed as they are already
known to be In all other particulars.
The triumphs Of our private builders OF Gov
eminent war vessels long ago made them
famous throughout the country, and in some
cases all over the world. From the contractors
for big battle ships like the Iowa and the Ore
gon to the builders of torpedo craft, they have
shown admirable workmanship and the pay
ment Of premiums mounting into the millions
has demonstrated what they can do in the way
of exceeding their contracts for speed. II IL now
years since all anxiety ceased as to their cnpac
ity to turn out the best modern specimens Of war
vessels OF all sorts. The only question has been
as to the ability of the navy yards to supplement
this source OF supply with their own work; and
II is because any apprehension on this score is
now removed that fresh ground Of congratula-
ton il furnished.
II is true that only in u qualified sense has the
Government been the builder of the Maine at
Brooklyn and Of the Texas at Norfolk. 1t has
laid down the hulls, but the motive machinery
has been furnished by private builders, under
contract, as also. OF course has the armor ana
indeed most of the other material. still. the
Government is entitled To the credit of any
success which these two vessels may achieve, as
itwould also have to bear the discredit OF their
failure. But IN the case OF the Cincinnati and
the Raleigh II constructs also the motive ma
chinery, so that II s In every way on the footing
of a private contractor, IL, f. US responsibility
for success or failure IN concerned. And il il
gratifying reflection that In point OF speed the
Two cruisers give EYER prom prom ao'ng oetisr
signed FOR than the two battle ships.
The relative cost of construction may not he
figured out for some time To come. The Gin
cinnaii and tie Raleigh. being built wholly by
the Government, viii give clearer opportunities
two vsssrlS. rs viii he recalled. they were un-
dcrtakrn NJ the navy Yards simply because
limit of s. 100. 900 fixed by Congress. TheGoy-
"rnment has not only the latter sum 10 rely
contractor wonId have undertaken The work
In addito ion. Il had offered Ia pay $4,000 per
quarter snoi i9rany extra sptrd above 10 knot5:
wmll give 5000, 1000 each in the former case
'.nvsrnmsnt would have stOo. 900 or 5000 900
above the limit for which the lowest bidder
them ~ economically. IT, also, the Govern
msnt should not resort t. the Great EXPENSE
ring when he makes trial triiS the speed shown
by these vessels would lie prop0rtionally more
ersditable and nearer the service speed.
enthusiastic estimates of the four Government
built vessels, made by naval officials, are fully
our Government hereafter, as hitherto, should
be that OF building the now steel ships by con-
private resources are now relied upon by the
Government for constructing It's ship IL itself
nress nj course. The building ~ the Maine In
the tioveTnment yard was obviously due To the
fact that the construction OF steel arn.orclads
was then a novelty tn our builders, and In the
competition for plans not one of them had sub
pitted an acceptable design or indeed any de-
AS 10 the Cincinnati aud Raleigh. the obstacle.
has been sad, was that there was no bidding
within the limit prescribed bv Congress-, and
nineteen knots had been required by that body,
so that Il was impossible TO lessen this require
ment without waiting for another session. The
result may besides prove that IL was not wise to
wait bu, while The lifting W OF Gpy is ih
undertaken by Secretary Whitney and Secrs-
lAry Tracy l. thus commendable. yet their use
after as hitherto. Nor il the case altered by the
fact that the Government gets the services OF
crease OF pay, aud does not have to allow for the
fair percentage OF profit representing the liveli-
il is true that our old wooden navy. which
Aehieyed "a much renown In our various wars,
MAS almost most Wholly cSnStTScdsd ~ tns GS nrn
tendency 10 TO relieve the Government OF work
which can as well b. carried on by private enter;
prise, where competition between bidders will
result in reasonable prices, In foreign countries
this union Of priyatS and Government resources
l. found, and certainly In our own the results OF
private construction have been mos. admirable.
Even in manufacturing ordnance L has been
found Ia DO for the public interest that private
works should furnish the steel inROts and that
the finishing and assembling should be done bv
the Government at its factories, while In addi-
ton 10 that system very large eOntracts both for
guns and moFtars 10 be delivered complete have
been given to private works.
When the Cincinnati and Raleigh were under
taken az the Brooklyn and Norfolk navy yards,
Chief Constructor Wilson sent word TO each
yard that II was expected that every effort
will be made by the master mechanics and those
employed under them on this vessel To expedite
the work; for their own credit and that Of the
yard. and that the Secretary Of the Navy may
not be disappointed In being able 10 build the
vessel as eheaply she could be contracted for;
and OF this they should be Informed" Ii will
be a matter Of congratulattOn II this result has
been secured; but whatever the sneoess OF the
Cincinnati aud Raleigh In point OF speed, the
public policy which dictates the construction OF
vessels. As general rule, and wherever they can
thus be built 70 advantage, BY private builders,
should be continued.