The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-08-11
ARMOURFOR OUR SHIPS
The Special Board Meets at Washing
ton 10 Investigate.
PLAN TO BUILD A PLANT.
A Thorounh ssassh VIII Ne Msas late
the Proprietary % ths oovsrn-
meat 10 0wa and 0psrais
Flant 81 ifs Oun.

Warrington. Aug i0.--A special ma
lai board appointed BY Acting Secretary
Roosevelt for the purpose Of preparing
for me information Of congress esu-
mates Of the cost Of establishing and 0p-
Grating a government plant for The
manufacture Of armor metal. met a the
navy department yesterday. All were
present. namely, Commodore Howell.
Captain Mccormick. Civil Engineer En-
dicost. Chief Engineer Perry. ueuten.
ant Fletcher and Lieutenant Chambers.
Before proceeding with the work Of
Organization the members Of the board
and had a long talk with him respect
and had a long talk with him resepect-
the undertaking before them. The act
Ing secretary expressed bis views a. 20
the intention Of congress and the board
was ready for work after a room had
been secured.
The plan is 10 make a nost thorough
investigation Of the question. pre-
sented In Ell Of ts aspects. with the
view Of asceriaining the cost Of building
great government factory. but after
that has been accomplished proposals
will Be invited tOr the sale Of com
plete plant 10 the government While
this last information was not especially
directed 70 Be furnished 10 congress In
the Law. Il is deemed desirable 10 sup
ply Il, In order to permit Of conaidera-
ton of ne economic advantages Of each
plan.
In the pursuit Of the frst branch q
Il Il would b necessary for the board q
travel q good deal. possibly 20 Europe
before the inquiry 10 ended. though thai
has not yet been determined upon. Ger
lainly Il will Be Necessary for Il 10 visli
many poins In the country where Il hal
been suggested a government plant may
be advantageualy established. IN 0rdel
10 ascertain at hrst hands their relative
inertia and 20 learn which of them pre-
Seuts the necessary conditions.
These. a. laid down for the guid
ance Of the board. are. hrst. accessi
blllty 10 iron and coal and routes o
transportation. 20 that the heavy ar
NOR produced may bo readily laid
down Al the tide water where nava
vessels are built Next, weight mus
be given TO the character Of the popu
lation of the place from an industrial
point % view and its ability 70 fur
nlah a large stock Of skilled mechan
Ice for the government 10 draw from
In mannipg its plant.
So far there has been no lack Of sug
gesliona 10 the navy department a. q
where they would Ike % locate thl
plant They have come. according 4
Acting Secretary Roosevelt. from Ma
rlon. Ind, birmingham. Ala. Pennsyl
vanla. Maryland. and indeed. from Al
most every part Of the country wher
there is iron and coal.
Inaamuch a. the ship builders hayI
failed 70 respond iavorably 20 the gov
ernment'e Invitation TO submit bid
| NllIAH AuN NANN nara ANI nu|IlfAMN ~
nor for the ahlps now building. NJ
Roosevelt called the special attention
Of the board 10 this subject ani one o
lls nrat duties WI b 10 devise SON
practicable plan tor the procuremon
Of thla armor for the three battle
ships. nIttols. Alabama and Wlacon
aln. within 4 reasonable period q
time.
Acting Secretary Roosevelt has a
cepted the offer Of the Cramps 10 Cur
niah the tiagonal armor for the Ala
bAma. and this insures that vessl
against delay In construction. Regr'
Il expressed that the contractors bulk
ina the other two vessels have not I
yet made q similar proposition as
the other ships. but n some such prol
osltlon n not forthcoming soon n
Roosevelt will direct the eonstructlo
bureau 20 Immediately prepare plaI
for proceedinE with the work on the
ships as well a. possible In the al
sence OF the diagonal armor.
} The Cramps oHsr h 10 furnish fol
OF the plates that are used a. bull
heads On the interior OF tho ahl
= weighing about 30 tons. and they agr'
. 20 DO 4 a the price Of $500 per to
B as set by congress, for which Actin
, Secretary Roosevelt has oflciall
} thanked them.