The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-05
THE PRICE OF ARMOR
PLATE Is EXCESSIVE.
rlinority of Naval Affairs Committee
Wants Government to Secure a
Plant of Its Own.

safely so further and say armor plate
| factories Of the world. There are but
| two armor plate factories i'm the United
| States and they understand each other
| so well that there is no compe tition tor
| orders. The government is at the
mercy OF these companies and we see
but two ways of escape-either stop
building armored ships or manufac-
turc our own arfnoT. We believe that
IL the secretary OF the navy was direct
ed 40 buy armor for rot exceeding 500
per ton, and " he could not get IL at
that Price. to build factory, the two
companies would reduce the price TO
a reasonable sum per ton rather than
10 allow the government 10 become
their competitor. One thing is certain
unless we build oNr own plant, armor
plate will never cheaper. The greatest
estimate for the cost OF constructing
an armor plate factory complete in ev-
cry detail is $4,000, 600. We believe the
government can save enough on armor
plate now needed. or that will be need
ed for ships authorized to construct
IT'S factory and have some $4,000 600 left
over.
For the sake OF argument. however.
we VIII admit q factory will cost s4.-
100000 and yet we believe the govern
ment can save enough on arln1' plate
now needed or that Will be needed for
tory, make its arn1or and have s. 000. 900
left over. We need some $1,000 tons
and II IL can be produced for $3.50 per
ton, it means a saw ing from the price
we are now required TO pay Of 1915 per
ton. on something like 81 600 tons which
would be well nigh S9.000000."
Again should the government con-
clude TO manufacture its own armor
plate. II would insure the very best
product for our warships. We unhesi-
tatingly say in our opinion IL would
be wise for the government to own its
plant even II II never made one ton Of
armor plate. because Of the fact of the
governments ability to produce armor
plate on it's own account would operate
10 keep down prices In the private
yards and put an end to exorbitant
charges"
CONSTRUCTOR BoWLES QUOTED.
The minority report next dissents
from the refusal of the committee 10
authorize construction OF part of the
vessels provided for in government
yards Notwithstanding four naval con-
structors and the chief of the bureau
OF construction advised ii.
The following statement OF Construct
or Bowles OF the New York yard is
quoted:
II recommend the building of some
vessels in the important navy yards of
the United States because / believe
II Is TO be good business and IL
owned those yards and kept them for
the purposes tney are now kept for I
should say that II would be a sensible
thing to do 10 build one ship in each of
the important yards all the time, sim
ply To keep them in order and main
tain a sufficient force ready for all
emergencies.
the report they will not specify the
items Of extravaganza in the bill they
call attention to the fact that this bill
Is $4,000 900 in excess OF a bill, hereto
fore reported and $4,000 900 i'm excess
or practically double that of any bill
ever reported in .me of peace indicat-
ing growing disposition 10 forget how
money is collected from the people and
tendency of the American congress to
extravagance."