New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-10
Daniels Says Only Details
Stand in Way of Rush
ing Construction
Many Are Destroyers
First of Great New Type Will
Be Launched in Nine
Months

WASHINGTON. oct. 9. The Ameri-
can Nays war construction programme
calls for 7S7 vessels. including all
,ypes. from super drcadnoughts to sub
marine chasers
In making this announcement to-day
Secretary Daniels said some OF the yes
sells have been completed within the
past few weeks and are now IN service
and that the remainder OF the pro
rrammc is being rushed. The total
cost is estimated at 81, 100000.
MANY OF the vessels are destroyer
and arrangements have been made iof
carving out Tho S35OOo0,0OO supple
mental destroyer programme, which the
navy expects to be completed III
eighteen months.
Examination Of contracts by the ie-
cal representatives Of the builders pre-
vented the formal signing Of the agree
ments to-day with the six companies
which are to build the craft. but Mr..
Daniels said only minor details STOOD
in the way of getting the vessels un-
der construction.
COMPANIES Holding Contracts
The companies holding the contracts
ar. the New York Shipbuilding Cor
pora,ion. the Cramp company, the New
mort News Shipbuilding and DrydocA
Company. the Fore River Shipbuiiding
Cornoration. the Bath Iron Works ana
the Union Iron Works. All these COM
panies have had experience in destroyer
buildipg and this is expected TO make
for rapid work.
The Fore River company, Mr.. DahieiS
,xplained. was the only one that h"u
ogorod N build more vessels than were
awarded to it. The builders were caiieu
IN. and each one, except the FORE hivei,
rocoived all the work il estimated thA'
II could undertake, and the rest Oh .ile
order. details Of which still are WIN
held. went TO the Fore River eoihpah!
SECRETARY Daniels said he expected
,ba frs. Of the new destroyers 10 De
Launched and commissioned within nine
n-onths They will be Of the latest
iargest and improved type, which nave
'uef bcen tried By the American navy,
he said. and found to be unsurpassed
by any dcstroyers in the world. .a
thousands Of men will be required
20 man these destroyers, the Seere'a-
ry's statement said, and we are nov
busv training them. BY the time 'he
vessels are completed the crews VIII oe
ready" . 90 he
built is held 20 be military seSieS
All of the contracting concerns nav
built destroyers for the government
before. and the awards OF eohtract'
we're limited 70 the six companies pre-
rared 70 rush the work. Inc appol-
tionment was made under musuai agree
ments with an understanding concern
ing the plants TO be put up by the Navy
DEPARTMENT, but 70 be operated oy the
companies.
Ten Per Cent Profit Allowed
Tho basis of the price for the con-
struction. Mr.. Daniels said, was cost
plue 10 per cent. with guarantees thst
tho cost should not be above certain
figure. and, il below that figure, the
companies to receive bonus. A great
quantity of material already has been
assembled for the work, but there are
still serious. but not insurmountable.
difficulties in the way. To solve these.
which relate principally 20 the supply
Of the needed materials, the matter has
been taken up by the Navy Department
with the War Industries Board, so that
there will be no conflict, and also 70
provide for the right of way" Of mate
rial for the destroyers.
Mr.. Daniels asserted that the job of
building the new destroyers is the
greatest ever dreamed Of in this coun-
try and one that was believed TO be
impossible only three months ago.
The destroyers viii be OF uniform
design, and practically everything
~. than, u,ill no standardized