The evening times., 1900-03-15
COST OF SHIPBUILDING.
Cramp Says 1t Is Higher in America
Than Abroad.

! Charles II. Cramp, the wellknown Phil
adelphia shipbuilder, while at the Capitol
yesterday, mentioned the interview pub
lished on Monday, in which Senator Frye
discussed the relative cost of bui ding
ships in the United States and abroad.
Asked if he endorsed what the Senator aid
as to the comparative cost of American
and foreign shipbuiiding, Mr.. Cramp Ie-
piled:
Most emphatically! The cost of build
ing merchant ships is frcm Is to % per
cent higher ifis this country than it is in
other countrieK, and it viii remain SO as
long as the present restricted demand for
merchant ships continues in the United
States. Our only hope of becoming great
maritime natisn lies in the passage OF
such bill as the- one that has been ia
yorably reported To each branch of Con-
gress. From builders po.nt of view, |
KNOW such an enactment would be CT tie
utmost permanent benefit IL tie II stion,
and would inaugurate our maritime Tesus-
citation The te nsed be no lea. tnat lie
line or class OF ships viii be unduly ia
voled. The bill prevents tnat very tAing.
IL gives the same chance to e4cn, and
there is 10 monopoly possible for an one.
L notice that Senator Frye, in his in
teryiew, discussed the relative cot OF
American and foreign warzhp building.
The general public may not b. aware tlat
the United States is the ony nation hat
advertlses for bids for the construction OF
its wal ships. All other countries a.Iot the
construction OF their Narships to uch
builders as they are satilfied viii buiid
just the vessel desired. TIE p. ice IS tler
hXvd by the Government al the opening
OF negotiations or arrived at during tnem.
The contracts are made Without co1pe-
tition. and Tie system has always operated
satisfactorily abIoad.
Tie newspaper editor whom Senator
Frye Was ans" erng had sugges ed th1t or
deTs had been given for war hip in tAls
country by foreign GovernAeAts because
SO bGiit ships OF that class as che4ply
here as elseN here. But that was the
reason at all. 1nc placing of such COL
tracts by GoyernmeAts in the count les
that do not build all Their G@n w~rs.ips
Is a matter OF sentiment and confidence
very largely. Strong pressure Hao bro1g 1t
TO bear Oh Russia TO place all of he. OUT
side orders il Germany and in France,
where The great Russian loans ha1 bee. e
cured. And finally. Crd.rs ~.r- D cei
there because OF that sentimtn nj very large
ly. But as 10 our firm, il SO happe-ed hat
the Russian admlraIs and Navy Depart
ment officials were friends of ours, a
had mad experience with our work. 1t was
largely on this account that we were select
ed as the first firm to receive contract
outside OF Russia for a modern battiesiip
and hfsl-class cruiser for the ku sian
Government and this. too, upon our own
designs, plans, ana Specifications.
The Russian Government acts precise
ly as other European Governments do in
the matter of letting contracts for war
ships. Ii does as a private individual
would, without advertising and with ut
public bidding. II is the reputation of the
builders that leads TO direct nggo,iatIols."
In 1877 the Cramps rebuilt the engines
ct the second-class Russian Crui-eT Cray
ser, and in 1879 the same finn altered thee
merchant vessels Tor the Russian Govern
ment into war vessels, and built for hus-
sia ole small frst-ciass ruiseT. the Ia
biaca.