Norwich bulletin., 1914-02-07
FOR ARMoR PLANT
 AT THE NAVY YARD.
Mahan Urges Thames River As The
 Most Desirable Location.
Especial to The BulletinD

Especial to The BuIletin.)
 Washington, Feb 6-The house com mittee on naval affairs is of the opin- ion that some steps should be taken to- wards the erection of an armor plant at some point along the Atlantic cost. AS far as the committee is concerned, the secretary of the navy has won a victory in the advocacy of the con- structlon of government owned plant, and 1t has been decided to attach an amendment to the naval appropriation bill providing for the appointment of an armor plant commission.
 The amendment has been carefully sion shall be appointed by t&o secre- tary of the navy with instructions to select the best available site for the proposed plant. This commission will probably be composed of naval officers and civilian iron and steel experts. A portion of the naval committee favor the appropriation of sufficient money to allow the commission to purchase a site, but the majority are of the opin- lon that only enough to pay the eX- penses of the commission should be appropriated at this session. The com mission will be instructed to report to the next session of congress.
 It is understood that the amendment will provide for the erection of a plant with a capacity of from 10000 to 20,- 0OQ tons of armor plate. The commits sion will be required to report on the probable cost of the erection of the plant at various locations, the trans portation facilities, the labor market and the available material. It will also be asked to go into probable cost of producing plate at government fac tory.
 The majority of the members of the committee are of the opinion that in TPnnTtinp inc amendment they should go as far towards authorizing the construction of a plant as it is possible to, and at the same time pro- tect the government against waste of funds in carrying out the project. It is admitted that there is a years work for a very strong commission in doing the preliminary work for the passage of the necessary legislation for the plant.
 The commission will be expected to visit all the suggested locations for the plant. It will not only make an investigation on its own account. but will conduct hearings at which repre- sentatives of local interests will be asked to appear.
 Representative Mahan was before the naval affairs committee yesterday when his bill for the appointment of this commission was under discussion. MT. Mahan was very optimistic con corning the location of the proposed plant at New London. He is of the opinion that after a thorough exam ination by a competent commission they will agree that New London pre- sents advantages offered by no other point along the coast. In the first place the site is already owned by the gov ernment, and must be used for naval purposes. There is plenty of deep wa ter and the harbor is always free from ice, and the transportation facilities are equalled by no other point along the Atlantic coast. Lying midway be- tween the cities of New York and Bos- ton, New London is in the very center of the greatest labor market in the world, and it is protected by the most powerful Notifications along the coast.