Arizona republican., 1916-11-21
NAVY PREPARES ID SPEND HUGE
 SUMS LIN SHIPS
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

Republican A. P. Leased Wrel
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 20. - While Secretary Daniels was awarding con tracts today for armor plate for the four battleships authorized at the last session of congress and approving plans for an ammunition ship, the last vessel designed for the 1917 building pro- gram, the appropriations sub-commit- tee of the house naval committee be- gan work on the 1918 estimates. the heaviest in American history, to be presented to congress this winter.
 The navy departments 1918 figures contemplate construction of half of the ships yet to be built in the great three year program, and they show total ap- propriations of $379,151, ,701, or more than $66, 900, 900 in excess of the record total appropriated last summer
 Contracts for the armOr plate, which will go on the battleships Colorado, Maryland, Washington and West Vir- ginia were awarded the Bethlehem and Carnegie Steel companies, each receiv- ing half of the work. A statement analysing the contracts says that de- spite the unprecedented European de- mand for plate, the pI.ces oI1ered were approximately the same as those paid three years ago, when the Pennsylvania was being constructed. The figures are: Armor plate, class Al, 14,479.2 tons to each company at $420 a ton 10 Bethlehem and $425 to Carnegie; S20 tons of A-2 class to each at $4S5 10 Bethlehem and s426 to Carnegie. and 602 tons, class B. at s466 ton to Bethlehem and s460 to Carnegie.
 The department estimates before the house committee call for funds to begin construction of three battleships, one battle cruiser, three scout cruisers. l6 destroyers, four fleet submarines. IA coast submarines, one submarine tend CT and one destroyer tender. 1t is understood that the navy general board urged that the two battle cruisers re- maining on the three-year program and four of the six battleships be placed in the 1918 estimate. The department de- cided, however, to divide the new con- struction equally between the 1918 and 1919 bills.
 Rear Admiral Strauss. chief of ord nance, appeared before the sub-com- mittee. Explaining an increase of S1,500, 900 for fleet ammunition he said the cost of projectiles and other ord nance material mad increased so much since congress provided $l3,000,0 900 for the purpose last year that the addi- tional sum was needed. Prices of small shells. he said, were going down, in dicating a decreasing demand from Eu- rope but large shells of the 14-inch size used by the navy, showed 20 per cent increase over last years quota uOnS.
 Admiral Strauss also outlined the de- partment's scheme for storing in navy yards guns and ammunitions with which to equip merchant steamers and naval auXiliaries in time of war. More than s3.000,0 900 for the purchase of guns and mountings for this purpose dad net .s- the department seeks Sl,500, 900 for. ammunition.
 The department also has recom- mended the installation of anti-aircraft guns at naval stations, magazines and ludlo stations, the pending estimates providing $l,000,000 for this purpose. It will take more than 100 of the navy's three-inch, 50-calibre guns for this purpose.
 Admiral Strauss said the naval gun factory was now producing torpedoes, the first deliveries, however, exceed ing in cost the prices quoted by private manufacturers. It is expected that the factory will get it's cost considerably below the commercial rate with it's next delivery. At present the cost of manu- facture Is in excess of quotations of by $500 to s1,700 per torpedo. depending upon the system of calculations em- employed. At the Newport station where the bulk of the navys torpedoes are produced, the admiral said the cost of production was from S1 900 to $2lOO below the prices obtainable from pri- vate manufacturers.
 Admiral Strauss will appear before 1 the committee again tomorrow and will be followed by other bureau chiefs, and finally by Secretary Daniels and mem bers of the general board.
 The ammunition ship, for which the | secretary approved plans, is the first craft of the kind ever designed for the navy. It will have a displacement of | 10000 tons with cargo of powder and shells. Special facilities are provided for handling explosives aboard. Secretary Daniels said today he had ! arranged to confer with representative of the Electric Boat company in an effort to seek notifications of their | pending submarine bids