The Washington herald., 1917-03-08
Army and Navy News
Best Service Columns In CITY.

The Navy Department has begun Its
campaign 10 speed up new construction.
Representatives of shipbuiIding plants
and submarine companies have been Call
Cd Into conference by Secretary Daniels
In relation 20 the half billion dollar naval
appropriation bill. The companies asked
10 attend the conferences are the Fore
River Shipbuilding Corporation the New
York Ship6uildng Company. William
Cramp & Sons. the Electric Boat Com
pany and the Lake Torpedo Boat Com
pany.
Proposals for Is destroyers and for
the scout cruisers left over from the pre-
ceding bill already have been advertised.
Bids viii be opened during the present
month. Proposals for IS additional s0o-ton
submarines will be advertised without de-
lay The placing of contracts for fiye bat
tie cruisers will be arranged in confer
ences with shipbuildeys and not by ad-
Vertisng. Plans for three q, ,0oo-ton Dread
noughts Will not be ready for advertts-
ment for some weeks.
Important improvements will he made
at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in the nesr
future. This announcement was made by
secretary OF the Navy Daniels Yesterday
/ Part OF the $4,000 900 authorized bv the
naval bill passed during the closing hours
or the last Congress is to 20 to BROOKLYN.
whether the statement OF Secretary Dan
iels means the construction of new
shipbuilding ways at the Brooklyn yard
| could not be ascertained yesterday, n "a
possible. however. that 1t does, for tn.
secretary favors the construction of
new ways there
II was also announced at the Nayv
department that after the Secreta-y
ana his aids have finished their con-
Ierences with the private shipbuildinE
concerns looking TO the hurryinE to q
completion OF the preparedness pnorram
for the navy. the department will give ~.
attention to the government yards. The
naval bill does not go into effect until
July l next, but Mr.. Daniels In anxiou.
10 clean up all the preliminary work con-
nected with the carrying out of IL,
various provisions as soon as possible
Plans for the ships authorized by the
bill are practically ready.
Ihe naval bill as finally enacted into
law carries the Maher provision increas-
ing the salaries of employees at the
Brooklyn yard from TO 10 per cent
This amendment was inserted in the bill
IN the Senate by Senator Hughes of New
Jersey, at the request of Representative
Maher. The House conferees accepted
the Senate amendment. and it Is now
law Under the provisions all employees
receiving less than 8. 800 a year got a
~ BeI CtIll lnCTcdSe, while InOSe TeCelY-
ing N.2o to 1850 get a s per cent raise
The owners Of Grab Island. Mckee
yer Brothers. Inc. have offered it 70
Secretary Daniels to be used as a naval
base. The island comprises fifty acres
near Little EGG Harbor on the Jersey
, coast
Edward J. McKeever writes a. fol-
lows IN a letter to Mr.. Daniels:
This harbor We know is the only
one on the coast between Sandy Hook
and the Delaware Breakwater avail
able for such use. The Tuckerton wire
less station Is about two miles west oe
Crab Island. If in your judgment you
should determine to acquire this prop
erty for the United States government
for the purpose Indicated. you may have
Immediate possession and we WILL when
advised by you. execute the necessary
papers without delay to complete q
legal transfer Of the property described" I"