The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-13
UNCLE SAM CAN
BUILD WARSH|PS
At Least Admiral Capp SAYS it
Is Possible in His An
luaI Report.
CONTRACT SYSTEM BETTER
THIS is ADMITTED BY HEAD OF
BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION
BUT HE is PREPARING FOR AN
EMERGENCY.
Publishers Press.y

Washington, Dec. 12-The ability
warships equal in all respects to those
built under contract is maintained by
Rear Admiral w. L. Capps, chief of
the bureau of construction of the
navy, in his annual report He urges
that at least one yard on the Pacific
coast and one on the Atlantic coast,
when practicable, should be given a
reasonable proportion of new con-
struction work, in order that yards
may always be available for any work
the government may desire TO under
take Reference is made to the bat
tleship Louisiana and Connecticut, the
latter constructed in the New York
navy yard, Admiral Caps remarking
at the time of the delivery of the Con
necticut the actual condition of work
on the vessel was practically identical
with the Louisiana, so far as concern
ed all matters not connected with
armor and armament
Admiral Capps admits the oft-re-
peated charge that it costs less to
build warship by contract by reason
of shorter hours of labor, paid holt
days, vacations, etc. granted to navy
yard employees, but he believes, never
theless, that the government should
always be prepared to turn out it's
own ships in times of emergency The
lack of suitable docking facilities at
Tel ;c
ed on as being especially embarrass-
ing to the bureau, as no battleship of
any class can be locked at either of
these yards. He recommends the
building OF an additional dry dock,
capable OF docking the largest vessels 4
at both the Norfolk and Pensacola
navy yards. and that provisions should
be made for enlarging and rebuilding
a dry dock at the New York navy
yard. The Development of the Norfolk
navy yard to meet the requirement OF
a fleet as regards construction and re-
pair is recommended for special con-
Appointment of a special board to
consider matters relating to the per-
sonnet Of the corps of naval construc-
tors. the report says. is in contempla- |
lion. While recording the fact that |
the proportion of casualties, by reason |
Of death and resignation. continues to /
be large, Admiral Capps says the de- |
partments policy of years in assign |
ing for a special course instruction I
graduates of the naval academy Of |
suitable attachments, with view to I
heir ultimate transfer to the con-
corps to fill vacancies. will |
n time make the effect Of such casual /
les less serious. The excessive I
amount of work devolving upon the
Admiral Capp adds, combined
With its limited number of officers, re-
suited in the gradual impairment of
he vitality and in some instances
complete breakdown of officers whose
services were especially valuable.
The report speaks at length Of the
work on new and old vessels during
he past year and states that prelimin-
Try work was begun on designs of the
O-000-ton battleship authorized at the
asst session of congress.
Admiral Caps doubts the expedi-
ncy of repairing warships at foreign
tations. and says that both economy
nd efficiency will result from carry
ng out all large repairs and overhaul
ngs of naval vessels in navy yards
within the continental limits of the
United States wherever practicable.