The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-01-13

w ASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-Secrelary
Herbert today transmitted to Con-
gress his reply to a provision in the
last naval appropriation bill, direct
ing him to examine into the actual
cost OF armor plate and report to
Congress before January l, 1897, and
to make no contract for armor plate
for the vessels Authorized by that Act
until after the report was made to
Congress.
The report is very important and
in many respects a sensational docu'
ment. The present cost of armor IS
1888 per ton. Mr.. Herbert's conclu-
sion is that the cost Of material and
labor is Sl9570 and allowing for the
cost of maintaining the plant and the
nickel now furnished by the govern
ment and 80 per cent. profit to the
companies the next cost to the govern
ment would be in round numbers $4OO
per ton. The Carnegie and Bethle-
hem Companies have both expressed q
desire TO sell out their plants to the
government.
Secretary Herbert says that both
the Carnegie aud Bethlehem Com.
paines declined last spring to give the
information on the ground that they
were not obliged to give to the public
the secrets Of their business.
The Bethlehem Company fioally
submitted statement placing the cost
Of armor plate at $A94 per ton. Ac.
companying it was a letter which
stated thatin view of the governments
proposal to operate plant OF its own,
the company desires to withdraw from
this troublesome business by selling
to the government below cost our
entire armor plate plant which we be-
lieve to be the best IN the world. "
The Cargenie Company also sent
letter about this time declining to give
a full statement Of cost, but giving the
elements entering into the cost, exclu-
sive Of the shop cost, making it S224.-
So,
The Cargenie Company Lhen also
animadyerted On TIE fact that the work
of making arnor had been undertaken
at the request OF the government and
said it would, If the government de.
sired to manufacture its own arEor,
be only too happy to sell its plant at
cost"
Mr.. HerDert says the government
experts do not sustain the estimates
o the Cargenle Company. Mr.. Her
bert calls attention to the fact that the
companies made no statements until
he had returned from Europe where
he had procured two estimates of the
cost of armor plate. AN inspection
of the prices paid by the American
companies" Mr.. Herbert says, will
indicate that they agreed with each
other as to prices. They divided the
contracts of this government between
themselves, each bidding lower on one
half Of the armor required by the
government.
Secretary Herbert concludes that
$3.50 may be taken as fair cost OF a
ton of armor. The Secretary says that
it is essential that these or other plants
be kept in operation. Mr.. Herbert
says it is not desirable that the govern
ment should manufacture armor and
for these reasons very liberal profits
should be offered to the present con-
tractors to induce them to continue
their plants in operation aud re re-
commends as a fair profit so per cent.
on the cost Of manufacture, which
would be 1915 PEI ton. II will prove
difficult 20 obtain armor for the battle.
ships already under contract if the
companies refuse to bid within the
limit Congress may fix. To eliminate
this difficulty Mr. Herbert recon-
mends that upon fixing a price for
armor. Congress also authorizes the
Secretary to erect or buy or lease an
armor plant or a gun plant il neces-
sary.