The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-28

hcial of the Navy Department to-day.
You know. in the government navy
yards we must operate strictly under
the eight hour system. Only a certain
number of men can be employed in the
construction of a vessel at any one
tlme, the number varying according
10 the stage of completion. In outdoor
work or this character ii is customary
to take advantage of the long hours
OF daylight in the summer to make nm
for the deficiency in that respect dur
ing the winter AT least, that is the
custom in private ship yards; unfor-
tunately Tor us, we are prevented from
Following this rule. The law arbitrarily
provides that our workmen cannot be
employed more than eight hours per
day and consequently we will work
only eight hours a day where the pri-
Vate yards work ten. Under such cir
cumstances 1t will be almost impossi-
Die Tor us to complete the Connecticut
within forty-one months as the pri-
Vate contractors have agreed to do in
the case of her sistership, the Louisi-
ana. In addition. we are further handi-
capped by the fact that each employe
OF the government navy yards is
granted fifteen days leave annually
with pay, which, of course, must be
charged into the expenses of con-
structing the vessel and will further
tend to delay it's completion"
secretary Moody will follow the in
structions of Congress in regard to
Keeping account of the cost of MATER
ial and labor entering into the construc-
ton OF the Connecticut down to the
smallest item, but is determined that
no room VIII be left for any charge
OF extravaganza in this connection.
With the money placed at his disposal
Tor the equipment of the yard he pur-
chased what is known as a Gantrv
crane one of those gigantic travell-
ing cranes spanning $50 feet over two
battle ships, of which the Cramps
ship yards and the Newport News
Shipbuilding Company possess dupli-
Gates, Which cost them 500, 900 each
In letting this contract, Secretary
Moody called in Mr.. Brown the in
ventor of the Gantry Crane, and sub
stantially gave him carte blanche in
the construction of the crane for the
Brooklyn yard. The remainder of the
appropriation of S175,000 has been an
Piled to the construction of the slip to
hold the Connecticut and the purchase
OF necessary tools which the yard did
not have.
Within two months the keel of the
Connecticut will be laid down in the
Brooklyn yard, and of the 5000 en-
ployes OF the yard an average of 400
viii be kept constantly employed on
this vessel until its completion. The
Newport News Shipbuilding Company
will start about the same time on the
LOUISIANA, on which, 1t is estimated,
they will be able to place from l.
900 to $500 men at work, according
TO the various stages of progress.
1t is unfortunate in order to Obtain
a falr test Of the provisions of the
eight hour bill as il passed the House
of Representatives. said the Navy De-
partinent official already quoted, that
the provision of the eight hour act IN
der which the Connecticut will be con-
structed does not extend to the con
tractors for materials. II IL did a
complete test of the practicability OF
the eight hour law could be made. hut
| as II Is, the contractors for the iron
works and the afTnor. plate which will
enter into the construction of the Con-
necticut together with those which
furnish the lumber and other materials
| are at liberty to work their men on
the ten-hour system. Nevertheless. The
construction Of the Connecticut will az
ford ample opportunity for COM
plete test OF the correctness OF the con
tention OF the ship builders that a war
vessel cannot be satisfactorily con-
structed under an eight hour day. The
contractors claim IL cannot be done
I Within reasonable period Of time or
within hundreds o. thousands ~ dol
lars az the contract price OF the LOuisl-
ana"
one great advantage which the Navy
| Department has oyer the private con-
tractors. however. r. thaf 40 matter
how much the Connecticut costs ~
how long u takes 20 construct her 81
bow far inferior she may BE- b. sneed
/ o. hQw unsatsfaciQIv in general per-
fofmance~ government "a bound ~
atefpl hff ae n De- building her iu az
pMn Aafqe' Tho eNpeflHent reglbea
memories ~ me Inflated TcNas Nhloh
EeNf fhe heNy Department ~ murh
trouble ane which analiy ffQof SOL ln
ihe only battle in Which fhf fffr faoF
part ths batae Of sanunko. while ths