The Washington herald., 1916-04-25
BY e. b. JOHNS.

An analysis of the facilities Of the va
rious ship-building concerns show that
four battleships or battle cruisers could
be laid down within six months. Ihls
could be done without interfering with
private contracts which the companies
have on their books. Disregarding pri-
yate contracts, the yards could lay down
seven capital ships within six months.
With this output and the government
yards, Rear Admiral David w. Taylor,
chief constructor of the United states
navy. is confident that the ship-buld-
ing facilities of the country will take care
of as large a building program as Con-
gress is willing to authorize.
There are. however. according to Ad-
miral Taylor. two possible sources of
difficulty which might lead to delay, de
pending on the continuance or otherwise
CT the present heavy demand for new
merchant tonnage. The first is a possible
shortage of skilled workmen which would
lead TO building periods longer than the
normal. unless the merchant work is put
aside Second, if private ship-ouilders
continue to be able to obtain merchant
contracts at highly remunerative figures
and in sufficient volume to absorb their
normal productive capacity, they might
be willing to take new naval works II an
equivalent profit were assured and con-
tracts made at the prevailing market
value of their building capacity. The
estimates for new construction are Of
necessity based on conditions at the date
Of such estimates and are believed to be
sufficient to enable the vessels in question
to be contracted for with normal con-
struction periods. They should however
by no means be reduced.
II is insisted by Admiral Taylor that
part of the governments work should
be let to private yards In order to be
equipped to build battleships private
wards must maintain a special Organiza-
tion and a highly trained personnel, which
is real asset to the Federal govern
ment. No especial equipment or Organiza-
tion is required for the smaller ships of
the navy. but II is absolutely necessary
for the building Of battleships and bat
tie cruisers. This special equipment is
virtually a government section OF pri-
yate ward and without it the navy would
be compelled to depend entirely upon the
government yards.
Aside from the mater of cost" said
Admiral Taylor, there are certain fac
tors which facilitate the placing of con-
tracts for large naval vessels. in spite
of the press of merchant work. Most Of
the private yards which bid on naval con-
tracts maintain as part of their organi-
cations, a section of experienced and
highly trained personnel which deVOteS
the major portion of its time to work
in connection with naval vessels. In ad-
dition to this, yards capable of building
battleships have to possess a certain
amount of valuable equipment, which is
not actually required for the bulk Of
merchant work In order to preserve
their organizations and utilize such equip
ment, it Is desirable for these yards to
have on hand at least one large naval
vessel so that they may continue to be
in position to bid on naval contracts
when the present unusual demands for
merchant vessels may have slackened.
From this condition of affairs 1t is be-
lieved that the government will continue
in the future, as in the past, to reap
financial benefit. at the same time main
tanning intact the important national re-
sources for the construction of naval YES
sells"
Mai. William ]. Pardee. retired, visited
the War Department yesterday.
Fort Myer Notes.
Fort Myer, Va, April 24-Miss Dorothy
O'Keefe, sister CT Chaplain Timothy p.
O'Keefe, will remain with her mother at
Leavenworth, Kans., for the summer.
Mrs Philip H. Sehridan is spending
few weeks with Capt and Mrs Ed
ward A. Sturges at Front Royal, Va.
Mai. and Mrs. Manus McClOskey have