Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-16
Naval Contracts
 Are Awarded
LARGEST SINGLE ORDER EVER
 GIVEN BY ANY NATION
CALLS FOR $11z,ooo, ,ooo


 Four Great Battle cruisers and Six Scout Cruisers For 10 Per Cent. Net
 Profit.
 Washington, March Is. = Contracts for what is believed to be the largest single order for fighting craft ever given by any nation were placed to- day by the navy department. Private great battle cruisers and six scout cruisers, costing nearly $112, ,000, 900 for hulis and machinery alone, and pIedg- ed themselves to keep seventy per cent of their working forces on navy
 Accepts 10 Per Cent. Net Profit. :. In response to an appeal to their patriotism by Secretary Daniels. the major ship builders have agreed to accept 10 per cent. net profit on the battle cruisers, whose cost will rep resent about $76, ,000, 900 of the total sum involved in today's contracts. A the Philadelphia navy yard so as not to strain the limit of facilities of priv ate establishments
 The builders are besieged with of CTS of merchant work and are getting as high as 50 per cent. profit on these jobs with more work in sight than they can do. They have placed their facilities at the disposal of the gov the president to consider employing authority to commander plants.
 New Types of WAarships
 Both classes of cruisers ordered to- day are new types to naval architec- ture and are designed for a speed of 35 knots an hour.
 The scouts were awarded on bids rTrrr7 %<a1 from s5.sao,o to- ss,sss. 900 and stipu- lated time of delivery from 30 to 32 months. These figures can be no guide to the actual cost or time, how of the naval appropriation bill con- struction will be hastened to the linn it, the government footing the bill for additional cost.
 Battle Cruisers.
 The battle cruisers the fixed limit of cost of which Is Fl; ;aae 900 per pense, were placed. as follows: Newport Shipbuiidfng and Drydock company, two ships; Fore River Ship building Cooperation. one ship; New
 With the exception of the New York company, each private builder will have to install new ways and ma chfnery for the luge craft The gov this expense. Already an appropria- tion of $6,o00,0o has been ordered expended to equip the Philadelphia yard for capital shipbuiiding
 Scout Cruisers.
 Four of the scout cruisers will be built on the Pacific coast. two by the two by the Union Iron Works at San Francisco. The other two will be built by William Cramp and Sons. of Philadelphia. Cramps and the Union Iron Works may be called upon also addition to the fifteen destroyers au- thorized by the last naval appropria- ton bill. the department is planning 10 construct many craft of this type under the small boat emergency fund.
 Dreadnaughts' and Submarines.
 Of the authorized building program there remain to be contracted for the fifteen destroyers and several aux Hilary vessels. Bids will be opened early in April on these craft and at the same time orders will be placed for more than 100 coast patrol boats A committee of small boat builders al ready has approved the plans for these craft which will be of high speed and no feet in length, insuring good sea- going qualities.
 The ultimate cost to the government of the ships ordered today will exceed by many millions the figures given for hull and machinery. It will cost the scouts and s5.ss7. @ SID ann addisional aonI for each battle cruiser.
 orders to be Distributed.
 The shipbuilders having made f. nancia1 sacrifices to meet the gov ernment's needs. Secretary Daniels is seeking similar agreements with the contractors who supply material and equipment to go in the ships. The orders will be distributed among the contractors so that no one vx..rpany will be unduly burdened- In addftfon, through conferences now in progress it is hoped to secure an agreement under which flat rate of profit will be fixed on these materials and gov ernment orders be assured first con- 
 The plans for three. 42.ooo ton dread are not completed. At least two, possibly all three. will have to go to government yards. although that point has not been finally decided The department has available SIP ,000, ,000 additional appropriation for fitting the yards for this work. In addition a number of destroyers and submarines must be laid down at the yards, as the private plants are over- taxed with the work before them.
 Statement by Secretary Daniels.
 In a statement tonight Secretary Daniels said:
 
 are to have the right to require the contractors to employ at all times the maximum number of men that can be utilized to push the work and if a sufficient force of mechanics can be obtained, 1t is hoped that the battle cruisers may be finished in about three years.
 Under the agreement made. they will be finished at the earliest possi- ble moment which 1t is physically possible to complete them under ex- isting conditions. These immense ships are the largest and most expen- sive ever built in this country or in the world"
 Characteristics of Scout Cruisers. The chief characteristics of the scout cruisers are as follows: Displacement, 7,f0O tons; speed s5 knots: length $50 feet; beam 55 feet. eight 6-inch guns, four tor pedo tubes. and two S-inch anti-air- craft gune; complement 38O. Their