The evening times., 1900-03-15
COST OF SHIPBUILDING.
Cramp Says IL Is Higher In America
Than Abroad.


Charles H. 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 emphaticaIly, The cost Of build
ing merchant ships is frcm ID to % per
cent higher in this country than it is in
other countrieE, and it viii remain SO IS
long as the present restricted demand for
merchant ships continues in the United
States. Our only hdpe Of becoming great
maritime natisn lies In the passage OF
such a bill as the- Dne that mas been IA
vorably reported to each branch Of C.n-
gress. From a builders point Of view, /
know such an enactment would lie Ct tie
utmost permanent benefit % tLe 4tlon,
and would inaGguTate our martins Tesus-
citation The G. nseG be no lea. that lie
line or class OF shIps vii be UH4uly ia
voIed. The biu pFsvents tnat very i-ing.
II gives the same chance to e4en. AID
there Is 10 monopoly possible Tor an one.
Il notice that Senator Frye, in IS in
tcryIew, discussed the relative COZ OF
American and foFeign warship building.
The general public may not b. aware taat
the United States is the Ony nation hat
adveTt.ses for bids for the construction Of
its Wal ships. All other eOuntrie5 a..ot the
construction OF their NarshiIs TO uch
builders as they are sati-hed vii bliid
just the vessel desired. TIE p.iee IS t--r
fixed by the GOytrumeu, al the ,pemns
Of negotiations or arrlye1 at during tIeAl.
The contracts are made Without CD Ape-
tition, and tEe system has always operated
satisfactorily abroad.
TIE neospaper editor whom Senatos
Frye Mas rTing had sugges ed mt or
ders had been sis en- for war hip in tbs
country BY fore gI GOveIn.ge-ts Decause
81, B-liL ship OF that class as che 2iJ-y
here as elsewhere But Jhat was Jne
reason at all. THe placing Of such COZ
tracts b. Governments in the count ies
tEat do not build al Their C&n w-rs-lps
Is matter Of sentiment and conhde-ce
very largely. Strong pressure ~aa bro1g Il
10 bear on Russia 10 place all OF he. OUT
sIae orders IL Germany and In France,
wdere the great Russian loans hal bee. e
cured. And finally. Crdtrs W. D cd
/ theTC because OF that sCnrim, NJ veTy large
ly- But as 10 our hrm. il SO happe-od hat
/ Tho Russian admIrais and Navy Depart
meut ohlClals we're llieuds OF ours. a q
had mad experience with our work. Il was
( largely on this account tnat we were select
ed as the first firm te receive a contract
outside OF Russia for a modern battesiip
| and frs, s,-Class cruiser for the ku sian
/ Government, and this. too. upon our own
Z designs. plans. euG Specifications.
/ The Russian Government acSs precise
! ly as other European Governments do m
/ the matter Of letting contracts for war
! ships. IL does as a private individual
/ would, without advertising and tn at
/ public bidding. IL is the reputation Of tEe
! builders that leads 10 direct nlgo-iatIOLs.'
In 1877 the Cramps rebuilt the engines
( Of the second-class Russian crui- er Cray
/ ser, and In 1873 the same finn altered th. .yC
merchant vessels iOr the Russian Cove u
I meut into war vessels. and built for Eus-
/ sia ole small frst-ciass ruiseT. the Ia
( hiaca-