The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-04-05
While They Recognize the Neces-
sity for Armor at Almost
Any Price
For Present Needs, They Believe
Exhorbitant Rates Should
Not Continue.
Only Sure Way to Prevent Is
tor Government to Build
q Plant.

WASHINGTON. April 5.-Four mem.
bers Of the minority Of the naval affairs
committee, Messrs. Wheeler of Ken.
tucky, Rixey Of Virginia. Kitchen of
North Carolina and Vandiver Of Mis-.
souri, united i'll a report opposing GER
tain items of the naval appropriation
bill. Their report dwells especially
upon the failure of the majority to
make provisions for future supply of
arinor plate at a reasonable cost. The
report says the minority agree with the
majority as to the necessity for pur.
chasing 7,40O tons of armor for the bat
tleships Maine, Ohio and Missouri, even
though at an exorbitant price, because
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 future supply of
armor plate, Notwithstanding vessels
already authorized will require $1,000
tons, adding:
lit seems to be pretty generally un-
derstood the armor plate factories will
not furnish krupp armor for less than
f545 per ton, but exactly where this in
formation comes from, we are unable to
state for there was no testimony before
the committee on the subject except
from Admiral O'Neill, who did not, as
we understand it, speal: for the plate
factories.
p,,ra u-,,slnn HI es1lv Evorhitsnt
"The sum Of $545 per ton for armor
is, in our Judgment, beyond question
exorbitant, if not outrageous. There is
not q scintilla Of proof from any fac.
tory showing what krupp armor costs
to manufacture. Harveyized armor has
been recently (if it is not now supplied
to the government at $4OO 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 cannot be sup
piled as cheaply.
I'VE have been unable to find, after
much investigation, where any one
places the labor cost in q ton Of armo,
plate above $lS5.50 the decided weight
Of evidence puts it at $l65 and much
evidence entitled to weight, as low q.
1l56; the cost of the steel ingot vii
seldom exceed $50, which, together
with the royalty (and there is grave
; doubt in our minds if any royalty what
ever il paid) make up the total cost o.
producing q ton Of armor plate. Thi.
Is. Of course, from the standpoint OF th'
purchaser and does not take into con
sideration the profit Of the company no.
interest on the plant. nor wear and tea
Of same. Estimating the labor a
. SlS5. so per ton. would make the ne
cost per ton $3.50. so. and estimating it a
Sl65. the most acceptable figure, woult
make it 1890 per ton. Now, we submit
il these figures are In the least reliable
s545 per ton is an exorbitant price t
, charge for armor plate. In other word
1915 or even $a95 per ton profit is ex
> cessive.
say It Would save Millions.
I "We believe if the secretary Of tn
) navy was directed to buy armor for no
, exceeding $4OO per ton. and II he coul
, not get it ut that price, to build a fac
, tory. the two companies would reduc
the price to a reasonable sum per ton
, rather than to allow the government I
q become their competitor. One thing
| certain: Unless we build our own plant
t armor plate will never cheaper. In
greatest estimate for the cost OF cor
structinp an armor plate factory com
plete N every detail is $4,OOO,OOO. w
, believe the government can save enoug
ON armor plats now needed or that WI
be needed, for ships authorized to coz
). struct its factory and have some $S,OOO
}. 600 left over.
: abatement Of Constructor Bowles.
1 The following statement OF Cor
!. .trnctor Bowlcs Of the New York var
Q u quoted: .,
Q vessels in the present navy yards OF tn
; limited States, because believe it to b
Q orod business, and if l owned thos
J. Yards and kept them for the purpos<
thew are now kept for, should say ths
It would be q sensible thing to do
build one ship in each Of the importai
u wards all the time, simply to keep the'
y IL order and maintain sufficient FORK
ready for all emergencies.
i The minority then say that while
II TIE report they will not specify Il
D items Of extravaganza in the bill the