Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-20
WILL COST MILLIONS,
HE PROPOSED ARMoR-PLATE
FACTORY FOR GOVERNMENT.
An Authority Sets Forth His Views
on This National Question--Mnny
cities and Towns Want the New
Plant. t
tcorrespondence Of the Dispatch

WASHINGTON, d. c., February 49,
From every section of the United State,
delegations representing boom town coun
ellis, BOARDS OF trade, and ambitious
crossroads villages have been pourinf
into Washington during the last few
months bent upon the capture of the
proposed government armor-plate fac.
tory for the respective locality each com
mittee represents. The Navy Depart
ment has been flooded with offers Of free
sites for the armor-factory, and each
place seeking the prize has the best
natural advantages in the country-ac-
cording to the numerous claimants. AL
though the possibility of the government
building a plant TO produce armor-plate
( for the United States naval vessels is
very remote, no less than 215 cities,
towns. and villages have set out to Sc
cure It, and seventy-nine offers Of free
sites have already been made to the
Navy Department.
Every State in the Union has from one
to a dozen places scrambling for the To-
cation of the armor-pIant "in their
midst" and the Navy Department Off
cials are anticipating offers next from
| the Klondike, where gold can be subst-
| tuted for nickel steel-plates; or from
| Honolulu, as soon as Hawaii becomes
one Of us. Many congressman who wish
| to show they have the advancement or
| their district at heart have pledged sup
port to the government armor-plant pro-
| position, and in demonstrating this may,
by their votes, commit the government
TO colossal blunder, for such would be
the result from the report Of the Navy
Department ordnance and engineering ex-
perts who investigated the subject.
VIRGINIA HAS INDUCEMENTS.
However, should Congress ignore the
negative views Of the experts, the de-
partment can select a site in any Of the
following places offered by committees
visiting Washington
Virginia-Richmond, Alexandria, Roa-
noke, Basic City, West Point, Petersburg,
Bradford, Norfolk. Portsmouth, Clare
mont, st. Helena, Craney Island West
Virginia-Morrison Island, Western Port
Charry Run, Piedmont, Grub District.
Huntington, Moundsville. Tennesse cellar
riman, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Bristol,
Elizabethton, Morristown. Alabama
Birmingham, Sheffield. Gadsden. Annis-
ton, Flomaton. Kentucky-Middesho
rough. Texas--New Birmingham, Jeffer-
son, Waco. Georgia-Blyths Island. New
York-Buffalo, New York city. New Jer-
sey-New Orange. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Point. Drum Point, Curtis Bay Pennsyl-
vania-Johnstown, Williamsport, Carroll
township, Rankin Scranton, Erie, Ches-
ter, Reading Oho-Lorain, Columbus,
Fairport Harbor, Dayton, Youngstown,
Cleveland Toledo. Indiana - Marion.
Michigan CITY, Anderson, indianapolis.
Illinois-Waukegan, Moline. Chicago. Wis
consin-Appleton, Menasha, Kanosha,
Superior. Michigan-Muskegon Mar
quette, Detroit, Bay City, Saginaw, Ben
ton Harbor. Minnesota-Duluth. Mis-
souri-St. James. Washington-Seattle
Tacoma. Port Townsend.
Congress will determine in the near fu-
ture whether or not the armor plant is
to be built.
THE PROJECT CONDEMNED.
James NJ. Swank. who is recognized
the world over as the highest statistical
authority in matters pertaining to the
iron, steel, and allied industries, has just
completed a summary Of American
armor-plate history, which bears particu-
larly on the conditions leading up to the
movement for government works Of
this kind. Mr.. Swank says II may be
taken for granted that Congress will not
order the erection and equipment of a
factory as the report recently submitted
to Congress by the Naval Armor-Factory
Board Is virtually condemnation Of the
project. The cost Of the plant as esti-
mated by the board about 100000 has
staggered the advocates Of the scheme
who believed that it could be built for
81. 500 600. The erection Of an efficient
ft.,ta . HI
building of war vessels constantly on a
scale requiring an enormous annual APP
preparation in order to keep it fully en-
ployed; otherwise it will deteriorate, and |
the losses will offset any saving the gov |
eminent might make by the possession |
Of a plant.
From Mr.. Swank's review of the armor |
plate matter, it appears that very little |
reason exsfs for the supposition that the /
governments could manufacture plate |
cheaper than 1t can be obtained from /
private contractors. Considering that the |
two steel factories now with idle armor
mills on their hands invested millions Of |
capital In the business at the request of |
the government ii seems to be breach /
OF faith now TO attempt to force them to |
accept improbable prices or go without |
business entirely.
THREE BATTLESHIPS BUILDING.
Three battleships, Nos, T. 8, and 9-the
Alabama, Illinois, and Wisconsin-now |
building at Philadelphia, Newport News,
and San Francisco, will require armor
plate within a short time. Congress is
confronted with the question OF where |
the armor for these battleships is 10 be
obtained inasmuch as the two steel man
ufacturing concerns in this country
having the facilities TO manufacture it
will not supply the material at the price
limited by the act of July 10. 1897, which
provided that not more than $500 per
ton should be paid for the 5000 tons Of
plate needed for the new ships. Should
the completion of the ships be delayed
through the failure Of Congress to pro-
vide armor, an immense bill for damages
will be presented to the government. 1t
Is improbable that the armor can be OBJ
tained from European makers at the
price offered.
Mr. Swank in reviewing the armor-
plate price controversy, dissents from
the belief that the armor contractors
have made unusual profits, and shows
by ex-Secretary Herberts
estimates of the cost of manufacturing,
as submitted at the last special session
u Congress, that such would certainly
not be the case IL the manufacturers are
compelled 10 sell armor at $500 per ton.
Mr.. Herbert estimated that 800 per ton
would allow q large profit TO the manu-
facturer on the assumption that the out
put Of the plant which he estimated as