The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-21
DELAY IN SUBMARINE
BIDS Is CRITICISED
POstpOnement Said to Be to
Give Chance TO Dickcr
With Foreign Firm.
PROMPT ACTION URGED

WASHINGTON, July 20.--Ths action Of
Secretary of the Navy Daniels In post
poning the opening of the bids for the
submarines has caused much criticism
in naval and shipbuildins circles and no
one can understand why there should
be delay. Congress appropriated the
money last March and invitations to
tender bids were issued In juno. The
bids were to have been opened on
August ?, but now the opening has been
postponed until September 80. nearly
two month"; later. The navy supporters
argue that there should be no delay In
having the new boats added to the navy.
particularly when u is not o when
they ma be needed In a hurry.
Submarines are entirely different
from other vessels built for the Navy
Department. Battleships. cruisers. de-
stroyers and all othor vessels are de-
signed by the Navy Department itself
and the naval architects or designers
make all the plans and calculations.
With the rine the Department
merely states in great detail what it's
requirements are. but the builders do
all the designing work hence the time
required by the Department to get out
its invitation to tender bids, including
It's TtuulE eIltnts. kuOulu pc very blb l,
provided the Department has any clear
idea as to what kind of submarine IL
wants.
One reason for the delay in opening
the bids is said TO be hat two ship
yards hat have never built n submarine
or had any experience with this type OF
boat have made arrangements with "A
foreign Arm which has itself never com-
pleted a submarine, for designs Of hulls;
for al the shipyards are unable TO build
or to procure engines they have asked
delay 10 enable them to make some ar
rangements to secure machinery.
The United States Government has al
ready had a sad experience along these
lines. In March. 1909. a contract was
awarded to the Cramps for the CA, =
boat Of the laurent type. built from
the plans and under the license OF the
we'll known Flat Arm OF Italy. With
the single exception OF krupp. this nrm
is the best knowa of the European build
ers OF submarines and had already built
many boats for the italian and other
governments; yet when they were con-
fronted with the problem OF meeting the
United States Government requirements
the outcome was deplorabfe.
The boat never did meet its guaran-
teed speeds and after many attempts the
tiibt Hlilly u W. 'f''' ''''SS
and asked the Department as a favor 10
AXE over the boat and to endeavor IT.
self with a nav crew to pass the trials.
Eventually. while the boat never did
meet It's guaranteed speeds. II did In
the Navy Departments hands finally
succeed IN passing the minimum speeds
required and thereupon was condition
ally accepted by the Department.
However. as there were many other
matters besides speed that were unsatis-
factory the boa has not yet been finally
accepted by the Navy Department nor
has II joined the regular submarine SER
vice. notwithstanding the fact that the
order was placed over six years ago.
Commenting on this one we'll posted
in these affairs said to-day: LIT seems
that the Department. with this expert
ence In view. would naturally feel ihat
such experiments should be on a very
small scale and until the builder has
shown that he has the ability 10 design
and construct the boat he should not be
entrusted with building large numbers,
Under these circumstanc and in view
Of the crying demand for these boats
and especially in view Of the fact that
next winter Congress will certainly make
large appropriations, the S~ecretary's ac-
ton In delaying the opening OF the bid
and therefore postponing the acquisition
~ these boats is arouslng a great deal
of hostile criticism by friends Of the
ravy.'