Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-08
NOT BEHIND OTHERS
United States Warships Built
as Rapidly as Abroad. J
COST HERE HAS BEEN LESS
Widespread Belief Combated by
!, Chief Naval Constructor Watt.
CONSTRUCTION SINCE 1904
Increase of Pay for Technical and
Clerical Force Urged, That the Ca
r. pable Men May Be Retained.
COST HERE HAS BEEN LESS
CONSTRUCTION SINCE 100

With striking array of cold figures
Chief Naval Construction r. M Watt ex-
plodes the rather prevalent belief that the
n1ted. states is behind the majority of
great naval powers In point OF time OF
constructing Warships. In his annual re-
port just issued he says: With the sys-
tenn and method of warship construction
now In vogue in the United States. II is
belfeved~+to be feasible for the United
states to build hrst-class battleships in
as short period Of time as any other
shipbuilding country. and actual expert
ence seems to demonstrate that the
rapidly Of construction in the United
States is greater than the average rate
or construction In. the principal foreign
shipbuilding countries. 1t Is also worthy
OF note that this decreased time of con-
struction has been obtained concurrently
with decrease in the unit cost Of con-
struction. In fact. the total cost, per ton
Of displacement. of battleships. built by
contract for the United States Navy
within the past few years has been less
than the total cost of similar vessels built
IN foreign countries. and this in spite OF
the higher rate OF wages paid to work.
men in the United States shipyards"
The chief constructor declares that the
contrary belief, which generally prevails,
has been owing to the fact that the basis
OF comparison between our own and for
eign shipbuilding operations was not
Identical To support his declaration he
produces tables showing the exact time
of construction. from the laying of the
keel to the entry into commission. OF the
largest battleships of the British, Ger
man. japanese, French and Italian ma
vies.
Increase Of the Navy.
Other tables show the number and dis
placement of various classes OF vessels
January 1. 1904. and September 80. 1910.
From these tables it appears that the To-
tai battleship displacement avaliable for
service has increased In little less than
seven years from lis. 721 tons to AZ. 461
tons; that the total battleship displace-
ment available for service. under con-
struction and authorized has increased
from S24. 461 tons to 562 III tons. and the
total displacement OF what might be
termed military vessels" including those
under construction and authorized, has
increased from 651,28S tons to 040.ll2
tons.
Larger Salaries Recommended.
In advocating better compensation for
the clerical force of his bureau. Chief
Constructor Watt says:
''Efacient work in any department Is
largely dependent upon an adequate anu
efficient technical and clerical force. Tho
greater cost of living has made II in
creasingly difficult for the bureau. under
its present schedule Of pay, to retain en-
pl0yes entirely suited to its requirements.
The present technical and clerical force
is. in the opinion of the chief constructor.
unusually efficient. and II rs believed that
true enconomy will result II the most
efficient of its employees can look forward
to reasonable increase in remuneration
in the near future. The bureau therefore
invites special attention to the subject.
and hopes that it will be practicable for
the department to provide q reasonable
increase In compensation for the civil
employees at the bureaus and at Offices Of
experimenting naval constructors and in
spectors'