The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-28
WILL RACE IN BUILDING
TWO BIG BATTLESHIPS

Washington, Dec. 29.-Within
short time the most interesting race
that has ever taken place between the
government of the United States and
private contractor will be inau-
gurated. and to a very large extent
the future history of the ship build
ing industry of the United States de-
ponds upon the outcome. Consequent
ly both sides are straining every nerve
and each is seeking to Guido the other
The contest is that between the
Navy Department, which has under
taken to construct in the Brooklyn
Navy Yard the giant battleship, Con-
recticut, in competition with the New
port News Shipbuilding Company. to
which has been given the contract for
the building of the louisiana. The
Connecticut and Louisiana are sister
ships in every respect down to the
smallest detail OF their construction
from the massive turrets with their
great twelve-inch guns down through
their steel decks to the smallest
screw or rivet which holds in place the
steel plates which form their bottoms
they are to be alike in every particu-
lar. From one standpoint it is
merely a contest between the govern
ment and private parties. 1t has been
stated that the government could not
construct its ships as-rapidly as pri-
vate contractors, nor as cheaply, ow-
ing to the restrictions which labor men
throw about government work On
the other hand it is declared. although
the government yards were handi-
capped by an eight-hour system, with
nfteen days annual leave for their
men. together with higher wages, new
ertheless, the employees of the govern
ment yards could accomplish more in
their eight hours work per diem than
an equal number of men in private
ship yards working ten hours a day
basing their arguments on the ground
that eight hours was a proper days
work and that men whose hours of la
Dor were limited to eight hours, by
working more willingly and more
cheerfully, could accomplish more
than equally as good workmen re-
Quired to labor ten hours per day.
So insistent were the labor leaders
that the government could construct
Its warships in its own yards for less
money than it was paying private con-
tractors that Congress at its last ses-
sion authorized the Navy Department
TO build one of the battleships pro-
vided for in the last naval appropria-
ton bill in government navy yard
and allowed the Secretary of the Navy
$lI5,000 to equip the yard for the con-
struction of the vessel The act fur
Their provided that the Secretary of the
Navy should keep an accurate ac-
count OF the cost of inspection and in
struction of vessels provided for in
this act, whether built in government
yards or by contract, and report there
ON TO Congress, at each session, the
progress of work and cost thereof, in
Guiding the inspection of all the mate
raal going into the construction of said
vessels, and, upon the completion there
OF, to report full and detailed state
ment, showing the relative cost of the
inspection and construction in govern
ment yards and by contract"
In pursuance Of this act the Secretary
of the Navy caused specifications 10 be
drawn for the Connecticut and the
Louisiana and advertised for bids for
the construction of one OF them. the
Newport News Shipbuilding Company
securing the contract on a bid OF So
$4,000, much less than the limit placed
upon the contract price by Congress OF
s4,zlz.0O0. Forty-two months were al
lowed by the Navy Department for
the completion Of the I0uisiana-the
contractors agreed 10 complete her in
Loriy-one months, under a penalty II
$3.50 day for the first month and $500
day thereafter until the vessel n
completed
The terms OF the wager were ae-
tepted and the contest was fairly 10.
fin whef the Secretary of the Navv
lfteea the necessary order t0 place INC
l,tnyhlgn navy Yard in condition 10
construct tho Connecticut. mad .ar6
htinf selected as fhe beff eoulunad -
re government yards for 49, 6urnose
~ government is greatly hhnai.
tffa in hs competition wtfl a. ~
80 .eHifaf Core in fhe cpnafrnrifsf ~
'-''iiseiieNt' saie D prominent Of.