The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-04
ARMOR PLATE TRUST.
Minority Report of House Naval
Committee on the Subject.

Washington, April 4-Four members of
the minority of the naval affairs COM
mittee, Messrs. Wheeler of Kentucky,
Rixey of Virginia, Kitchen of North Car
olina and Vandiver of Missouri, united in
report opposing certain items of the
naval appropriation bill Their report
dwells especially upon the failure of the
majority to make provision for a future
supply of armor plate at reasonable
cost. The report says the minority agree
with the majority as to the necessity for
purchasing 7,400 tons of armor for the
battleships Maine, Ohio and Missouri,
even though at an exorbitant price, be-
cause longer delay would injure the ships
and also subject the government to suits
by contractors. The report then criticises
the majority for refusing to attempt to
solve the question OF a future supply OF
armor plate, Notwithstanding vessels al
ready authorized will require 24.O00 tons,
1T seems to be pretty generally under
stood the armor plate factories will not
furnish Krupp arnor for less than S545
per ton, but exactly where this informa-
ton comes from, we are unable to state;
for there was no testimony before the
committee on the subject, except from
Admiral O'Neiu who did not. as we un-
derstand it, speak for the plate factories.
The sum of $545 per ton for armor, IS
in our judgment, beyond question exorbi-
tant, if not outrageous. There is not a
scintilla of proof from any factory show
ing what Krupp ar1nor costs to manufac-
ture. Harveyized armor has been re-
Gently df it is not now supplied to the
government at $500 per ton and no man
connected with either of the factories in
this country has said to the committee or
any one else, as far as we know, that
krupp armor can not be supplied as
| cheaply. When the committee was con-
| sidering the armor plate question, the two
armor plate factories We're notified of the
| fact and asked if either cared to be heard
on the question. A reply was had from
each of the factories land here we will
remark the replies were singularly slm1-
lar) saving they had made a statement to
/ stood that state
ment, or words to that effect.
we have been unable to find, after
| much investigation where any one places
! the labor cost in a ton OF armor plate
above $1S5.50; the decided weight of evi-
| dence puts it at $3.50 and much evidence
| entitled to weight, low as $156. The
| cost of the steel ingot will seldom exceed
| 500, which together with the royalty land
| there is grave doubt in our minds II any
! royalty whatever is paid), make up the
total cost. of producing ton Of armor
plate. This is, OF course, from the stand
point of the purchaser, and does not take
into consideration the profit of the com
| pany, nor interest on the plant, or wear
and tear of the same. Estimating the
labor at $1S5.50 per ton, would make the
net cost per ton $25O5O and estimating It
at s165 the most acceptable figure, would
make it S230 per ton. Now, we submit
if these figures are in the least reliable,
S545 per ton is an eXorbitant price to
charge for armOr plate. In other words,
S315 or even 1895 per ton profit is excessive.
"In our judgment, the potential reason
in enhancing the price of armor to the
government, is the existence of a trust
:
factories of this country-We are almost
persuaded we can safely go further and
say armor plate factories of the world.
There are but two armor plate 1actorles
in the United States and they under
stand each other so well, there IS no com
petition for ORDERS or as TO price. Inc
government is at the mercy of these COM
panies and we see but two ways of es-
cape-either stop building armored ships,
or manufacture our own armor-
We believe if the secretary of the navy
was directed to buy armor for not ex-
ceedine S400 per ton and if he could not get
it at that price, to build a factory, the
| two companies would reduce the price
to a reasonable sum per ton, rather than
to allow the government to become tnelT
competitor. One thing is certain; unless
we build our own plant, armor plate will
never cheaper. The greatest estimate for
the cost of constructing an armor plate
factory complete in every detail IS $1,000
COO We believe the government can save
| enough armor plate now needed or
| that will be needed for ships authorized,
to construct its factory and have some
81 900, 600 left over We need some 81 ,OOl
for $3.50 per ton, 1t means saving IRON
the price we are now required to pay OF
$3l5 per ton on something Ike ~ Voo 0y9
which would be well nigh SfVoOOUV; Again
| should the government conclude to man
ufacture its own armor plate it would in
sure the very best product for our wal
ships We unhesitatingly say in our opin-
ion it would be wise for the government
to own its own plant, even if it never
: made one ton of armor plate, because OF
the fact of the governments ability tt
produce armor plate on us own ,5 accots e. IN
, would operate to keep down prices IN tht
; private yards and put an end to exorbi
: tant charges.
The minority report next dissents from
1 the refusal of the committe to authorize
construction of part of the vessels pro
vided for in government yards, notwith
standing four naval constructors and tn
chief Of the bureau of construction ad
vised it.
! The following statement of Constructo
! Bowles of the New York yard is quoted
q recommend the building of some YES
2 sells in the important navy yards OF tn
j United States. because I believe it to o
= good business: and if I owned these yard
t | and kept them for the purposes they ar
? now kept for should say that it woui'
be a sensible thing to do to build on
: shin in each of the important yards a.
I the time simply to keep them in orde
y and maintain a sufficient force ready 70
e all emergencies
e The minority then say that while in tn
q report they viii not specify the items Q
Q extraxaganc in the bill, they call atten
: ton to the fact that this bill is $4,000 OF
. in excess of any bill heretofore reporte
, and S26, ,O00 OO0i excess, or practically doupi
{ that of any bill ever reported in time 9
a peace indicates a growing disposition I
/ forget how money is collected from tn
:, people and a tendency of the America
: congress to extravaganza
DnRHE NnADCEn