Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-10
Government Convinced That Battle.
ships Should be Built bQ
Private Plants.
LESSON VERY THOROUGHLY TAUGHT
Marine Review Says It Took An Act
of Congress and TWO Years to
Satisfy Politicians of What Every
body Else knew-comparatlve Cost
of Ships.

Shipbnilders and naval men of the
country find an interesting subject for
discussion in the signal victory won
by the plant of the Newport News
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company
In the construction of the battleship
Louisiana, sister ship of the Con.
necticut which was built by the navy
yard at Brooklyn. The Louisiana was
built In less time than the Connecti-
cut, made Il splendid showing in all
OF her trials and speed tests, and it
developers that she cost nearly four
hundred thousand dollars less than
her government built sister.
The following is from the New York
Marine Journal:
1T cost the government s359,425
more to construct the battleship Con-
necticut at the New York navy ward
than to build the battleship Louisf.
ana, sister ship, by private con.
tract. The total cost of the Connec.
ticut was sG,34O.2I7, while the Louis.
lana cost s5,9SO,s22. The difference
in the cost would be even greater IL
the TACT that the Louisiana has more
than thirty-five tons more armor than
the Connecticut, costing $17,223. we're
taken into consideration, but this is
not figured In the final total in the
comparative statement which has
been sent to Congress. The turrets
also in the Louisiana were more ex.
pensive than those in the Connecticut
TO the extent of Sl3,632. Eliminating
the cost OF armor aud armament, the
difference in the cost was $500, 2SO."
Commenting upon the above, the
Marine Review says:
1T took an act of Congress and
two years time satisfy the politi.
clans in and out OF Congress of
that which everybody knew, who
knew anything about battieship con
struction, that our large tprivate
yards could build them more quick.
~, cheaper and better than naval
">'oiS III oui navy yaruS. Ine
foregoing official statement. issueo
from the Navy Department on Sat-
urday last, shows that the Connect
cut cost $390,2S0 more 20 construct
than the Louisiana, exclusive of So
tons more armor and more expensive
turrets furnished in the latter, which
the Navy Department has not credit
ed to the account of the Louisiana.
1T should be gratifying to tho bat
tleship builders of the country in PR
Fate yards, and especially to the
Newport News company, which built
the Louisiana, that one of the ablest
constructors in the navy, William ].
Baxter, had charge of the Connecti-
clt and was allowed free hand
With all the tools, machinery. and
men that he desired and with which
he turned out fine ship. But up
to date she hasn't passed the
ordeal that the government re-
qnires from private builders as to
endurance and speed trials Should
she be put to the test that her sis.
ter ship was before being acceptcl.
there is no reason to believe, how
ever. that she will acquit herself any
better. if she does as well. while
she cost nearly half a million dol.
'ars more. The Marine Journal is
more gratifed at this result for the
reason that
connecticut would cost considerably
More money that the Louisiana. If
for no other reason than that It
practically costs the government
more money for everything it re-
auires than 1t does an, body eIse
because its eXactions arc so grea1
and So often unreasonable and I'm.
necessary.
1.-THE hard fast rules that govern
the construction of war shins N
private yards are many OF them
onerous and impacticable. as proy
en- by the great number of times
that hrbuiliars have had to an.
peal to Congress for fair play. Now
that one OF our bestelu!pped shin
and engine building yards has prac- |
ideally settled navy yard shiv5ui,d. |
ing in competition for all time. |
we hope that IN giving out future
contracts the Navy Department will
be as reasonable and lcnient with
our shipbuilders as it has been |
VIII those OF its own force /, the