The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-18
SHIPS FOR AMERICA. 4
GOETHALS WILL HASTEN CON.
STRUCTION OF FLEET.
Announces to Dcnman That he VIII
Start Programme Monday--CaIls
for Building OF Ships NY Contract
and in Government Yards and Com
Wandering Of Those Under Way,

'ooH"Seoh' July 1o.->Ma1. Gen.
Goethals. manager of the. shipping
boards Emergency Fleet corporation,
took full charge Of the governments
ship building programmes today and
announced sweeping plans for con-
structing the great merchant feet
with which the United States hopes
to defeat the German submarine cam
paign. ssai ~
The most important steps prepared
by Gen. Goethals are these:f
Immediate construction Of two gov
ernment owned ship building plants
for building 400 fabricated.steel ships
Of 100000 tonnage.
Communicating of 1900. zoe tons of
Shipping now building for private ac-
count in American yards. xs
A request for another great appro-
priation for building shipsss
Gen. Cocktails announcement was
made in a letter to Chairman Denman
OF the shipping board. which said tho
fleet corporation, under powers just
granted by President Wilson, would
start on It's building programme Mon
day by Offering contracts for, construc-
ton OF the two government plants.
Chairman Denman of thesl shippir 2
board, who is also president and di-
rector of the corporation. after receiv-
ing Gen. Goethals' letter said:
1.-THE board of directors Of the feet
corporation will be called together
probably Monday to discuss the gem
erals programme. ! have no. doubt
the directors and the general will
have no disagreement over Sp0licy on
the programme he has outlined for
us when the matter has had full dis
cussion." ..s
Gen. Goethals' announcement and
Mr.. Denman's comment were regarded
by the generals friends as Indicating
q final settlement in his favor as to
the policy to be pursued ipgbuiading
ships. so
The fleet corporation, It - made
clear in Gen. Cocktails announpement.
will build all the wooden sliizs pos
sible but only after design approved
by the corporations naval sAkUhitect
This is taken to mean that therorpor-
alton will construct no sshir ~ the
Eopsh dssisn.a stoywhich stA !: ft6 6pins
|b'nard is said to be commiets6; :
Gen. Goethals' letter to M Dem
man discloses that the fleet ccrpora-
tion has let contracts for 49es ships,
Is46 OF them wood and ~ stees. with
a total tonnage Of 1.sso.soo. Tsre cost
Of the wooden ships will be $14S-a ton
and the steel ships $16S. S2
Contracts for building the govern
ment yards will be Let Mondax on a
basis Of cost plus 6 per cent. Options
will be given to constructors to pur-
chase the plants on compilations OF the
work. }iE
Proffers that have come to the feet
corporation for building completed
ships. it was said today, show that
steel ships can be built faster than
wood. Steel ships complete, Il is said.
can be turned out within five months
while wooden construction will REQUIRE
eight months.
Gen. Goethals' letter to Chairman
Denman follows:
Nov that the president has au-
thorized the Emergency Fleet corpor-
alton to exercise the powers granted
by congress to build and commander
ships. I intend. on Monday, to, start
ship construction which will complete
my shipbuilding programme. My full
programme is as follows:
"Ships now building:
Contracts for 34s wood ships have
been let. or aggregated upon, with a
tonnage capacity Of 1.218,0OO tons, at
cost. completed. of approximately
$174.O00.00O.
I'm addition. have under negotia-
ton contracts for about 100 wooden
ships.
Contracts for n steel ships have
been let or aggregated upon, with a
tonnage of 642.sOO tons. at a cost ~
approximately $1O1.66O.356.
There are thus provided 426 ships
of all sorts. with an aggregated tom
mage OF 1.S6O.SOO. at n cost of ap.
proximately $275. 100000 besides 100
more wood ships under negotiation. 1
shall continue to let all contracts for
wood ships (of design approved by the
naval architect OF the corporation)
which l can secure from responsible