The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-10-20
Defends Navy Policy of
Developing Yards.

Recently the Aerial Age, a publ
cation devoted exclusively to aviation,
attacked the navy department for its
policy of developing navy yards, es-
peciaIly in its efforts to manufacture
at the Pensacola navy yard aero
planes and parts of machines. Ap-
parently the article was inspired by
some manufacturer Of aeroplanes, as
have been others when the govern
ment contemplated an armor plate
plant as well as equipping the navy
Yards for manufacturing purposes.
Manufacturers, who have long
waxed fat at the expense of the gov
eminent, view with alarm the ten
dency of the times to take part of
this business from them, and every
time a government official plans to
have navy yards equipped for manu-
featuring purposes, great howl
goes up and these virtuous critics tell
the people it is nothing but another
scheme to throw away the peoples
money.
Recently the Aerial Age contained
an article of this character because
the secretary of the navy announced
he contemplated conducting expert
ments in aeroplane building at the
navy yard at Pensacola. The depart
ment probably took this step after
dealing with number of manufac-
turers, who shopped machines and
parts to the aero station here in
which the material used in their con-
struction was even unfit for thresh-
ing machine.
President c. E. Dobson, of the
Chamber of Commerce, replied tx
this article. The reply was published
in the Army and Navy Journal anc
evidently it meets with the approva
of that service paper. Mr.. Dobsont
reply follows:
"It is not the intention of the Nav.
Department, as I understand it, t.
build all its aeroplanes, or even ;
majority of its aeroplanes, at Pensa
cola, but it is the idea, I think, t.
have at Pensacola plant for expert
ment and to produce a certain humble
of aeroplanes, located at the place
where the major portion of the nava
flying is done, supervised by men VIII,
fiy themselves, who are seamen ant
know all the needs. The needs of th,
naval aviator in a machine for carry
ing hin above the water are differen
from those of flyer over the land
He wants more horsepower with les
weight, for his machine is heavier
he wants capacity for sustained flight
he wants pontoon arrangement whicl
will allow him to alight on or arts
from the surface of the water; h
wants a general structure that vii
best suit storing aboard and launch
ing from a naval vessel.
evil he get from the private man
ufacturer the study, investigation
and patient experiment necessary t
meet these needs? Past history doe
not indicate it. Why, then, should no
the Government experiment for itsel
and construct for itself; not entirely
but as leader, a pacemaker, fo
private manufacturers? Judging b
the past and present, private manu-
facturers need such a pacemakel
There is not a motor in this countr
adapted for use in seaplanes that ca
be relied upon to run for five hour
without breaking down. They shoul
run double or triple that time.
eThere is not motor made In tn
country that, under naval tests, wi
develop over eighty-five per cent. {
the horsepower claimed for it. Thel
has been too much desire to reap tn
harvest and too little to do exact an
painstaking work. There have bee
machines furnished the Navy whic
could not be set up until they wei
partially built, over. There have bee
cracked castings, badly balance
machines, parts that would not fl
shafting that broke under the fir
stress. In fact, it has been made :
an official recommendation time ar
again by one of the leading nav,
aviators that no more machines l
purchased from certain prominel
manufacturer until he took steps |
remedy the almost criminal careless
ness with which his machines wei
constructed"
cIls.s :.