Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-11-21
Total of 1919, 197,70l to BE
Spent Next Year, Pro-
gram Proposes.
CONTRACTS LET FOR
FOUR BATTLESHIPS
Installation of Antiaircraft
Guns at Naval Stations
Is Urged.

w ASHINGTON, Nov. 2o-Whlie
w Secretary Daniels was award
ing contracts today for armor plate
for the four battleships authorized at
the last session of congress and APP
proving plans for an ammunition ship
the last vessel designed for the 1917
building program, the appropriations
subcommittee Of the house naval COM
mittee began work on the 1918 esti-
mates, the heaviest in American his
tory to be presented to congress TINS
winter.
The navy departments 1918 figures
contemplate construction OF halt ui
the ships yet to be built in the great
thrce-ycar program and show total
appropriations of $37s l9Hfol' or
more than S66,00s.0 900 in excess of the
record total appropriated last summer.
Contracts for the armor plate Whlcn
will 20 on the Colorado. Maryland,
Washington and West Virginia were
awarded to the Bethlehem and Carne-
gle steel companies, each receiving
half of the work,
A statement analyzing the contracts
SAYS that despite the unprecedented
European demand for plate the prices
Offered were approximately the same
as those paid three years ago when
the Pennsylvania was being con-
struCtcd.
The figures are. Armor plate, class
Al. l4.479.2 tens to each company at
| s42O Il ton to Bethlehem and S425 to
| Carnegie $40 tons of AZ class to each
at SASS to bethlehem and S426 10
Carnegie. and $50 tons class at $500
a ton to Bethlehem and $3.50 TO car
negie.
Estimates Given.
The department estimates before
the house subcommittee call FOR iunds
to begin construction of three battle
ships. one battle cruiser. three scout
cruisers, l6 destroyers. four fleet sub
marines, ii coast submarines, one
submarine tender and one destroyer
tCndeE
1t is understood that the navy gen
eral board urged that the two battle
cruisers remaining on the three-yeal
program and four of the six battle
ships to be placed in the 1918 esti'
mates.
The department decided, however
to divide the new construction equally
between the 1918 and 1913 bills.
Rear Admiral Strauss. chief of ord
nance. explaining an item in his estl
mate! of 81 500 900 for fleet ammuni
ton, said the cost of proiCctiles ant
other ordnance material had increased
that much since congress provided
sl2.OOO,00O for the purpose last year
Prices of small shells, he said, Wer'
going down, indicating decreasing
demand from Europe; hut large shell
showed n 20 per cent Increase owe
last years quotations
Strauss Outlines Plan.
At another point Admiral Straus
outlined the departments scheme TO
storing IN navy yards guns and am
munition with which to equip mer
chant steamers as naval auXiliaries Il
: time of war.
. More than sS,OO0O0O for the pur
chase of guns and mountings for thi
: purpose was provided last year an
| this year the department seek
: 81 100000 for ammunition.
! The department also has recon-
mended installation of antiaircraf
/ gums at naval stations, magazines an
} re- dio stations. the standing estimate
providing S1,000,000 for this purpose
1t will take more than one hundre
, of tie navy's three-inch 50-calibe
, guns for this purpose.
Admiral Strauss said the naval gu
> factory now is producing torpedoe'
| the first deliveries, however, exceed
4 ing in cost the prices quoted by pr
vate manufacturers II is eXpecte
that the factory will get its costs cor
sderably below the commercial rat
with it's next delivery.
, Admiral Strauss will appear befor
the committee again tomorrow an
will be followed by other burea
chiefs and finally by Secretary Oar
r iels and members of the general boart
The ammunition ship for which tn
secretary approved plans Is the fir!
craft of the kind ever designed fC
the navy.