New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-08
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
Eiqht.Hour Law EmbarrasSeS
Naval Construction.
IRON The Tribune Bureau

Washington, November 9
NEW BATTLEsHIP CONSTRUCTION.
The reluctance of the big ship buiioers
to enter competition for the contract Tor
the two battleships authorized at the last
regular session OF Congress, bids for when
are 10 be opened after the first Of the year,
is the occasion of much anxiety at the
NAVY Department The plans and specin-
cations are now In the hands OF some
! seven or eight prospective bidders. Repre-
sentatives Of these have lately been In
Washington to ascertain 10 what extent
the so-called eight hour law will interfere
With TIER shop organization and admins
tration. The ship builders are willing TO
undertake the work on an eight hour basis,
but desire to know whether longer work
dav, with the usual extra pay for employ Is
is permissible under the contract Most
OF the plants work extra time for five days
In the week In order TO gain, for the beneht
Of the men, time for a half day on Satur-
day. Under the wording OF the law II Is
doubtful whether there may be anything
more than eight hours Of labor or any
day.
No one appears to he IN a position TO
gfye definite information for the guidance
Of the ship builders. The phraseology OF
the law Is obviously defective and the law
officers Of rho government, including the
Controller Of the Treasury, are not dts
posed TO assume the responsibility OF In
terpreting the statute. The ship builders,
on the other hand, do not wish TO incur the
risk Of a technical violation Of the Law
which may subject them 10 controversy
with the labor unions and result IN serious
interruption OF work.
The situation is not improved, so far sc
the Navy Department is concerned. by the
increase IN the amount of work in pros
pect for the ship builders. There are
twenty-five or thirty large American coast
wise steamers 10 be built for service when
the Panama Canal is opened 10 navigation,
contracts for which will be placed within
the next few months. This work Is TN
hampered by an eight hour law, and nat
urslly the ship builders prefer II TO the
government contracts While there may
be bids for tie batteships presented, il is
apprehonded at the Navy Department that
they will be in excess OF the appropriation
available. II is also realized by the naval
authorities that Congress is not likely to
increase the appropriation.
IL such n situation should occur. there
is d chance that both ships will be built
At navy yards. In that event, one Of the
vessels will be built at Brooklyn and the
other at Norfolk in all probability This
will require the launching OF the New
York at Brooklyn in advance Of the sched-
uled date, in order TO have room to do the
work IL is a question whether the con-
etruction Of these vessels al the navy
Yards could he done within the Congress
sional limit Of cost, but if the extra eX-
pense Is not 80 much as the amounts
named IN the bids it would be expected
that Congress would increase the amount
available Otherwise, the plans and specl-
fications would have to be changed and a
type of battleship produced inferior TO the
design Of those now under construction.
ORDERS ISsUEp.--The following orders
have been issued:
ARMY
Major ALMoN l. PARMERTER, clst Infantry
en- expiration of leave OF absence, 10 VAN
couver Barracks, pending arrival Of 2lst In
Major WILLIAM g. GAMBRILL. paymsster, to
Hot Springs Army and Navy General Hos
ptsl.
Lieutenant Colonel ALFRED NJ HUNTER. coast
artillery. 10 remain at present station
Captain STEPHEN VI KOCHERSPERGER, 21
Cavalrv, after expiration leave OF absence, 70
san Francisco, .ailinS for MsniIa; ,.s.-
try. 10 Preside Of san Fronctsco General
Hospital.
Leaves ~ absence First Lieutenant JOHN p.
n WARING medical corps three months.
Virst Lieutenant FRANCIS X. STRONG,
medical corps. tventy DAYS from Noyem-
her 20.
Captain A = FECHTELUR detached the
South Carolina; president Board OF Inspec-
ton and survey for Ships, Washington.
Captain 7. SNOWDEN. detached Board Of In
spection ana Survey for ships. TO the South
Carolina.
Captain J. :. BLAKELY, Lieutenant Com
members g. ?. SNYDER and W. F BRICK
Err Lisutenants \ :. WILHELM. D. l.
HOWARD / 6. BoGART and O. BART
LETT Leq'epan, {. r,t oig1iSE grade = 2.
" Z BEE Il I5u.I L y STEVENS :.
nEATREGARD. RI KEGRAN !. =
sCHELLING ara II W. MCCORMACK. En-
sign F. H. WEAVER. Medical Director j.
" EDGAR. Medical inspectors G. &. VII
son ara p r.. sTTTT and Psynssters 4.
II. MAYO. w J. COVER and 7 CoCH-
RAN. commissioned.
Lieutenant Commander d F. BOYD. detached
tho Preston. n