Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-16
-Four Battle and Five Scout
Cruisers to Cost Nearly
S112,000,000 for HuIIS.
and Machinery Alone,
BUILDERS SACRIFICE
ENORMOUS PROFITS
Agree to Build Vessels for Ten
per Cent Net; Could Work
Overtime on Private Craft
at so per Cent,


Washington, March lJ.---tontraCts
for what is believed to be the largest
single order for fighting craft ever
given by any nation were placed by
the navy department today. Private
builders undertook to turn out four
great battle cruisers and five scout
cruisers, costing nearly 900, 600
for hulls and machinery alone, and
pledged themselves to keep 20 per
cent OF their working forces on navy
construction.
In response to an appeal to their
patriotism by Secretary Daniels, the
major shipbuildcrs have agreed to ac-
aept 10 per cent net profit on the
battle cruisers, whose cost will repre-
sent about $4,000, 600 of the total
sum involved IN tsaaY's contracts. 4
fifth battle cruiser viii be built at the
Philadelphia navy yard, so az not 10
strain the limit of facilities Of pri'
Vate establishments.
Sacrifice big Profits.
The builders arc besicged with Of
fers of merchant work, and are get
'iliS as Ilttl a. J' Ib'-l ''lll Hl bliN va
these Jobs, with more work in sight
han they can do. They have placed
their Facilities at the disposal of the
government making it unnecessary
for the president 20 consider employ
ing authority to commander plants.
Both classes Of cruisers ordered to-
day are new types to naval architec-
ture and are designed for a speed of
thirtN-liye knots an hour
The scouts were awarded on bids
submitted yesterday, prices ranging
from $5,950.00U to $5,996, ,0OO, and
stipulated timo Of delivery of fror'
thirty to thtrtN-two months. These
figures can he no guide to the actual
cost or time, however as under the
emergency clause Of the naval bill
construction viii bc haStcned to the
limit, tho government footing the bill
for additional cost
Costly Battle Cruisers.
The battle cruisers, tho fixed limit
OF cost Of which IS $1".00G,0O0 per
ship. exclusive Of speeding up cX-
penSc. were placed as follows
Newport News ShjpbuiIdiuG and
Dry Dock company, two ships: Fore
River Shipbuiding corporation, one
ship; New York Shipbuilding COM
pany. one ship.
With the exception Of the New
York company, each private builder
will have to install new ways and ma
chincry for The huge craft. The gov
crnmcnt will lea. it's fair share of this
expense Already an appropriation of
Sc 600, 900 has been ordered expended
to equip the Philadelphia yard for
capital ship building.
Pacific Coast Contracts.
-Four of the scout cruisers will be
built on the Pacific coast, two by the
Seattle Construction company and
two by the Union Iron Works at san
Francisco. The other two will be built
by William Cramp & Sons, of Phila-
delphia. Cramps and the Union Iron
Works may be called upon also to
build n number Of dcstroyers. In ad-
dition to the fifteen destroyerS au-
thorized by tho last naval appropria-
ton bill, tho department is planning
to construct many craft of this type
under the small boat emergency
fund.
OF the authorized building program
remaining to be contracted for are
three dreadnaughts, thirty-eight sub
marines, the fifteen destroycrs, and
several auxiliary vessels. Bids will be
opened early in April on these craft
and at the same time orders will be
placed for moro than 100 coast patrol
boats. 4 committee of small boat
builders already has approved the
plans for these craft, which will be
of high speed and 1l0 feet in length,
insuring good scasoing qualities.