Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-03-23
The World Wide War Trust

|, fund and even the periodic replace
ment OF existing equipment" and the
possible total abandonment OF pri-
vnfe works IN 20 special a line as
amor plate manufacture. due 10 the
cessation % any demand for its pro
duet The board allowed a deprecia-
ton charge OF Sf2.75 20 every ton OF
armor Much OF the full cost" allow
able vas made for such items as OF
Zee mate. would be eliminated in a
government plant. because this work
could be performed by naval officers.
Who would receive their salaries from
tho government whether their ser
vices we're utilized in an armor plant
or not
Both the "production-cost- and the
-fuil-cost- estimates are based on a
plant % only s.0o0-ton capacity. All
investiEAtors agree that the larger the
capacity OF a plant the cheaper the
output A two-battieshipa-year pro
gram calls for about 1900 tons OF
arTnor annually. Therefore . Is OBJ
vious that ~ tho government should
build a 10000 or 1900 ton plant the
estimates a. 20 the cost per ton would
need 20 be considerably reduced.
The highest estimate ever given by
a government Official. so far as have
been able 20 learn by searching the
records. a that % Rear Admiral JOS
eph Strauss. the present chief Of the
bureau OF ordnance. who Sc only luke
warm FOR q government plant Test
tying before the naval affairs commit
tee on Jan %. 1914. he said:
An armor-plate factory OF 10000
tons capacity with an output per year
up 90 It's full capacity can produce
armor plate az a cost OF Se7e per ton
III q o. worked half capacity. the
estimate e. S2f9 a ton, and II the out
put were 5000 tons. the estimated
cost Is $500 a ton.
.If We build an armor-plate factory
with a capacity OF 10000 tons. and
u-orl, q 20 full capacity. the cost IS es-
tIunfcd az sSl4 n ton, and at half ca
pacity-that g.. 3 600 tons-S3s4 a ton.
-If No build a s5ooo-ton plant and
work 10 20 full capacity-that is 5000
tons Per aunum-ths cost IS estimated
at $3.50.
The cost OF building 10000. 10000
and 600 ton plants are. respectively.
81 .zss.fsI fS.s6s.0OO and S6.200.00o-'
N these figure are correct. and Ad-
miraI Strauss is correct IN his as
ruuption that 60 Be- more expensive 10
Manufacture armor in plant OF small
capacity than iu one % "a large ca
prcItv. aud that Go o. much more eX-
p@usivs srul 90 manufacture only
portion oI the capacity Of the plant. 80
can be demonstrated by any schoolboy
that the armor ring on
numerous years has manufactured
r~mar Tor che government az such low
prices as Co lose millions % dollars.
For instance. In 1906 the Bethlehem.
C1-uesl. and .Ifdvaie companies were
nu.-~fIrd contracts for SOS. 1855. and
. $50 tons % urm0r. res peCtiyely. az
F1fs Per ton If Admiral Strauss Cs-
Inmates are correct. this armor cost
rh~ manufacturers 40 least S1sf a ton.
ana uhFu the armur manufacturer
sold their produce to Russia az S-fs a
rua tHeF we're acting 500 the capacity
" pltIaufHr1u.sts. ~ Admiral Strauss
L. correct The answer ts that the es-
Inmates OF fFIs admiral are excessive.
either shat or tho estimate Of eiEnt
other government experts who have
Inquired iuto che subject are TOO low.
But although Admiral strauss esti-
mates are tne highest ever given. the
government could save sI6i-is per ton 4
with an armor plant OF 10000 tons ca
uacity. 1856 per ton with a plant o.
10000 tons capacity. and SIS per ton .
alrh O plant % 5000 tons capacity. .
even though DTS unusually hish csti-
mates are correct
CTo Be Conunuedl