New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-19
SHIPBUILDING IN NAVY YARDS.


The proposition TO build some of the new
battleshps armOred cruisers in navy yards
instead of by contract is worthy of careful con
sideration. The mere nominal cost is not neces-
sarily the most important element in the prob
lem. While it is doubtless desirable to secure
vessels for the Navy at as low cost to the tax
payers as may be, 1t is to be remembered that
the cost of battleship 70 the taxpayers Is not
measured entirely by the contract price, and
that the general efficiency of the whole naval
establishment may be cheaper for the Nation
than a saving in the apparent cost of a few
vessels.
1t appears to be generally admitted that work
in the navy yards costs more than work by con-
tract. Some persons express surprise at this, in
view of the fact that the Government has plants
on which 1t has to pay no taxes or interest, ana
from which it has to earn no dividends. But at
present hours of work are shorter in navy yards
than in private yards, and doubtless contractors
drive their men harder and compel them TO ac-
complish more than Government bosses. Then,
too private shipbuilders carrying on extensive
operations may get materials cheaper than the
United States, which is often a slow paymaster
and generally devotee OF annoying and eXpen-
sive red tape in the matter of purchases. Never
theless the cost of Government work is not so
much greater than that of contract work as mas
been sometimes supposed. The navy yards IN
variabIy spend much time and money putting
additional equipment on the vessels built under
contract. Hence the contract price so frequently
quoted by no means measures the total cost OF
vessel ready for the naval service. launches
lifeboats and many other things are additional
items The Government maintains inspectors at
private yards. This expense may amount to
$4,000 in the case of a battleship, but it is not
paid by the contractor! Inspectors are likewise
kept at the steel works. The naval architects
also frequently and wisely change the plans OF
ships under construction to make them conform
to the most recent advances in their science
The contractor who carries out, these changes
of course charges for them, but his bill is gen
orally paid by a deficiency appropriation and
not included in the common estimates of the cost
OF a ship Now, all these thngs-completiOn
of equipment, inspection and alterations-are
counted in computing the cost of ship built at
a navy yard.
Still cOnceding that with these things taken
into account the Government built ship costs
more it may yet be wise TO keep the navy yards
busy at construction work. Large plants must
be kept up for emergencies and they are more
efficient if kept employed At the outbreak of
the Spanish war the force here had to be largely
increased, and naval officers found much diff
Guilty owing TO the great number of engineers
and other skilled mechanics necessarily EN-
pioyed who were new to the particular work OF
naval construction. 1t may be good policy, so
long as ships are to be built and workmen en-
ployed, to have a steady force of these men
under the Navy Departments direct control and
always ready TO do its work, whether of con-
struction or repair. Moreover, while no man has
a right to claim Government work as spoils
there is a certain justice in dividing the benefits
of public enterprise If 1t can be done without in
jury TO the service New-York wOrkmen natU-
rally do not see why some of the wages from
building battleships should not come to them
we'll as to the workmen of Newport News and
Philadelphia. OF course, the Government in
terest must be controlling, but other things be
ing equal, the New-YOrk workers registered at
the yard many of them employed there before,
but now idle owing to the reduction Of the force
by fully one-half, may fairly have some con-
sderation.
The authorities of the Navy Department are
doubtless the best judges of this question, and if
they conclude that the scheme of navy yard con
struction is on all accounts undesirable laymen
will not be disposed to criticse their judgment
But, inasmuch as at the recent hearings many
naval officers of high rank have reported the
scheme not only feasible but wise it is to be
hoped that their opinion may not be set aside
except for overwhelming reasons of a public
character.