Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-10
GOVERNMENT ARMOR PLANT.
Where shnII II he Locnted'-spec'"'
Uonrd nt work.

| WARRINGTON, D. c., August ''--ihe
snecial Naval Board appointed by Actihs-
Secretary Roosevelt for the purpose OF
...o,,or,o,, for the information of Con-
gress. estimates Of the cost OF es'aDilsh-
ing and operating a government plant lor
the manufacture OF armor met AT the
Navy Department to-day. All OF t"e
members were present-namely. Coinmo-
dore Howell, Captain McCormick' NIVli,
Engineer Perry, Lieutenant Fletcher' anu
Lieutenant Chambers, RECORDER DeioI'
proceeding with the work OF orsd
The members Of the board calieu upoh
Acting-Secretary Roosevelt ana hau
long talk with him respecting the uhoer-
taking before them. r..
The Acting Secretary expressed MS
views as to the intention OF Congress
and the board was ready Tor WORK. ai'ei
a room had been secured.
The plan is 10 make thorough lnVes-
tieetion Of the question presented. in
all its aspects, not only WIN NiVW
IN the entertainment of the cost of build
inc great government factory, but, after
that has been accomplished, propositions
will be invited for the sale Of a COM
plete plant to the government Nhle
this last information was not specihcally
directed 10 be furnished 60 Congress IN
the law. Il is deemed desirable to supply
II I'm order to permit of a consideration
of the economic advantages of each plan.
In the pursuit of the first branch OF the
subject IT will be necessary for the board
10 travel a good deal, possibly to Europe,
before the inquiry is ended. Certainly
it will be necessary for it to visit many
points in this country, where 1t has been
suggested that government plant might
adyantageously be established, IN order
to ascertain at first hand their relative
merits. and to learn which of them pre-
sents the necessary conditions. THESE,
as laid down for the guidance of the
board. are-nrst, accessibility to iron and
coal and routes of transportation, go that
the heavy armor product may be readily
laid down at tidewater, where the naval
vessels are built; next, weight must be
given the population of the place. and
its ability to furnish a large stock of
skilled mechanics for the government
to draw upon in manning its plant.
So far. there has been no lack of sug-
gestions en- the part of people who would
like to locate the plant. They have come
from birmingham, Ala. from Pennsyl-
vania, from Maryland, and, indeed, from
almost every part of the country where
there is iron and coal. One recommen-
dalton for a site i'm New Jersey came
from a woman. According to Mr.. Roose-
welt some of the places mentioned had
only the scenery to recommend them.
Inasmuch as the shipbulders have
failed TO respond favorably TO the gov
ernments invitation to submit bids
within the 800 mark for supplying armor
for the ships now building. Mr. Roose-
Welt called the special attention of the
board to this subject and one of its first
duties will be TO devise some practical
BILE plan for the procurement Of this
armor for the three battIeships-Illinoi
Alabama and Wisconsln-within a
reasonable period of time.
Acting Secretary Roosevelt has accept
ed the offer Of the Cramps TO fur
nish the diagonal armor for the Alabama.
and this ensures that vessel against de-
lay on this score Regret is expressed
that the contractors who are building
the other two vessels have not as yet
made a similar proposition as 10 those
ships. but II such proposition is not
forthcoming soon, Mr. Roosevelt will d.
rect the Construction Bureau to imme-
diately prepare plans for proceeding with
the work on the ships as well as posi-
bic, in the absence of the diagonal
armor.
The Cramps offer is to furnish four
Of the plates that are used as bulkheads
i'm the interior Of the ship, weighing
about thirty tons, and this they agree
to do at the price of $500 per ton. set by
Congress. for which Actng-Secretary
Roosevelt has officially thanked them