The Washington times., 1907-07-07
BIG GUN CONTRACT
FOR NAVAL factory
Work Soon to Begin on the
Armament of Two
BattleshipS.

Everybody is on the jump IN the naval
gun factory OF the Washington Navy
Yard Preparations are being made for
the commencement Of the construction
Of the heavy ordnance for the two new
big battleships authorized by the Fifty
ninth Congress, contracts for construc-
ton which were recently let by the
Navy Department.
Orders have been sent from the Navy
Department to Captain Leutze. superin-
tendent of the naval gun factory. to get
ready for the construction OF the arma-
ment Of these two big seafighters. With
this big undertaking before the plant
everything possible Is being done to An
ish up work on the machines so as to
clear the various shops. leaving nothing
in the way to hinder the commencement.
prosecution, and completion OF the work
to be done. 1t is announced that II is
the purpose OF the Navy Department 20
have the two big battleships completed
and ready TO take on their guns in two
years. The armament must be made
ready In that period 80 as not 10 delay
the two battleships going into prompt
commission.
That the force OF expert gunmakers
employed In the gun factory Is equal 10
the emergency and viii deliver the guns
in prompt time is the opinion OF officials
and men OF the factory. But 20 do the
work promptly will require the untiring
energy OF every man in the plant, "ho'
approaching the compliment paid them
by the Navy Department and Captain
Leutze, superintendent, in placing the
largest single contract IN construction
Of armament ever placed in one concern.
viii rise 10 the demands OF the depart
ment and meet the requirements
Put on Another Shift.
It is understood at the Navy Yard that
Just as soon as this work is ready 20 be
started a large number OF additional
men will be put on in addition TO the
two shifts now working. making the
third shift. each working eight hours
each. This arrangement will keep the
big gun factory IN continuous operation
during the making OF these guns.
The battery OF each battleship will
consist os ten Pinch guns. fourteen o.
inch guns. four 3-pounders. four /
Founders. ard two .3O-caliber Colts.
It is announced officially at the Navy
DEPARTMENT that all OF the 5-inch guns
and their mounts, twenty-eight In all.
are TO be made 1T the Washington Naval
Gun Factory. and all Of the Pinch
mounts VIII also be made there Six
teen OF the twenty Pinch guns VIII be
made here. while four OF the Pinch
guns 10 the the WatervIiet (N. " Ar
senal. a Government plant for con
structicn. The eight three-pOunders.
e~rrr- -
calIber colts Will be made here The
statement given currency by recent
rl.mor that the Navy Department had
placed part Of the armament for these
big batticsnips with the Bethlehem
Steel Company and The Midvale Steel
Company had no foundation. Every gun
for the armament Of the two big battle
ships Is 70 be made IN the Washington
Gun Factory.
Information furnished BY the Ordnance
Bureau Of the Navy Department az 10
the cost Of this armament. which does
not take into consideration the armoring
Of the ships, Is interesting. Approx
inateIy speaking. 4 Finch gun weighs
i25.0O0 pounds and costs $4,000 The
mount for this gun costs $4,000 or a
total for gun and mount $l09.ooo. or
s.. $50. 600 for the twenty Pinch guns. The
5-inch gun costs. without mount $500.
mounts cost each. $500. making each
5-inch gun cost $500. There are TWEEN
ty-eigh. Of these guns. the total cost Of
which runs up 800.
Cost of Gun and Mount.
A 1O-inch gun and mount costs 5000;
an s-inch, $4,000; 6-inch, $4,000. and 4
4-inch, $500. About one-third the cost
OF a gun is In the rough casting for
gun and mount as II comes from the
steel casting foundries. AS the Govern
ment has no plant to do this work in II
has TO buy the steel castings In the
rough These rough steel castings are
brought to the Naval Gun Factory, put
IN the hands Of thu expert gunmakers.
who by their skill and modern gun
making machinery. turn out the finished
guns Two-thIrds OF the cost OF guns
and mounts goes to the men who make
the guns.
1t Will be seen by the figures given
out by the Navy Department that the
making OF these guns here means the
distribution during the next two years
OF a large sum Of money that will go
into the pockets OF Washington mer-
chants from the salary OF the navy
yard machinists and other employees
enEa ged In this work