Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1917-01-25


One OF the speclal needs OF the new
navy Is sixteen-inch guns-guns sixty
feet long and capable OF hurting
1000 pound shell with such power and
accuracy as to hit q 50 foot squire tar.
get fifteen miles away.
We have undertaken voluntarily To
construct, at n cost Of S4.jOO,po, a
plant fitted to build sixteen-inch guns.
Under no conceivable circumstances
car orders which we may receive for
this plant pay even fair return ON
the investment
Considerable comment has been made
upon the fact that n British manufac.
turer recently bid less than American
manufacturers for sixteen aud four
teen-inch shells for the navy.
! am unable TO state the basis upon
which the English bid was made. 1t
should be remembered, however, that
this bid was for a specific shell. sam
ples OF which are being sent over for
test-a test not yet made.
Two years ago we took an order for
2IW fourteen.inch armor-piercing shells
At II contract price OF SI6S,UOO to br
delivered within certain time or We
had to pay II large penalty.
The only specifications FOR making
these shells are thar they shall lie
Of certain size and must piece
arm0r-plate at a certain velocity on I'm
pact II is impossible to foretell the
exact conditions NJ the tests.
We had made large quantities Of shells
In the past which had been accepted
But In placing this particular order the
Department altered the angle at which
the tested shells must pierce armor
plate The result. however, has been
absolute inability on our part To pro
duce In any quantity. shells which will
meet these novel tests In fact, ",
know Of no process " proiectilc.mak
ing through which il is possible 10 pro
duCc IN quantities shells which vii
conform Ia the requirements
The result is that up Ia now on that
contract Of S7,;S.Uo. We have put int,
sctual operating expense sii1.sSl. an
have been pcmliled for non.dclivcr'
sig5.ill.. u tolal NJ Sai3G25.. with u
receipts whatever
Such was the experience In the H. q
Of which We were called upou recent
~ 10 bid FOR sixteen inch shells
We bid On these shells ~ approx
matcy the sane rate per pound n
that Of fourteen luch shell contrar
OF one year age upon which the 60,
,rnment awarded contracts
We have not the slightest idea wha
profit there will he IN the making u
these shells. We do not know tina
there win hc any. There Is no ycltnt,
~ that Il would he possible fur ~ I,
deliver u shell IL meet the test.
For officers IN the Navy IN ASSUME
thai any bid made under such cuudj
tiuus h, "eNorbitaut" Is utterly uufait
We hld on the new battlccruiSc,
sums which Navy department expert,
after examination VI our books rnUu
would yield q profit ~ less than tr
per CON We agtccd a. assume risk
frr m,rrrcd costs NJ materials aud 10
hor that made II possible that the,
contracts might Weld uo proht wha
ever
The costs run beyond the amount Al
prupraici 10y Congress on the basis ,
the cost estimates made year age
And because Shiphuildcr> could n,
alter the iucNOUhlc cost facts aud r
durc bids ln early estimates ol n
Navy Departments the priccs are call,
"eNolhitant"
II would hc n real advantage tn I
relieved " this naval construction. ri
profit from II cannot possibly amour
to much. and the responsibility Is enc
nous
We have deternlucd TO make III
] offer TO the American Government
az you viii build two Of the bait
cruisers In Government navy yar
= We will build the ether two al the I
csrtaiued cost Of building the ships