The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-31

making a good profit. showing that at
the former prices the profit was excess
sive.
There arc other reasons than the cost
which influenced congress in ordering
the building of this plant. There mas
been and must continue TO be steauS
Improvement In armor. Government OK
ucrts ought to have n plant Tor cApcr'-
n,ent as we'll as for manufacture. SO
that If a superior armor Is produced II
will be kept secret and utilized eNclu-
sivcly by the American navy. Inc same
thing is true in the manufacture 81
modern projectiles. Today We peEm
the construction of the proJectile lac
tory and expect to have 1t In operation
next April, and within eighteen or
twenty months the armor plate plant
will be in operation. Together they
Will employ over 100 men, and con-
stitute an important military manufnc-
turing establishment
First West Of Mountains.
This Ia the first naval establishment
to be erected west fthe mountains
The act of congress specified that II
should be located with especial refer
encc TO considerations OF safety in time
Of war" and II was therefore decided
that II should be located at least two
hundred miles from the coast. COM
mittee of able officers. headed by Rear
Admiral Fletcher was named 10 Visit
sites offered and recommend the best
site for its construction. They visited
q score Of more Of the best places in
America, which had generously Offered
eligible sites. and after inspecting them
all, recommended that the plant be To-
Gated at Charleston. the capital Of West
Virginia. 1t was n high compliment 20
your city. It's people. its facilities. its
advantages and its resources. as we'll
as a recognition Of the wholesale sur
roundings and moral atmosphere OF
Charleston.
1t Is u departure from former naval
praticc to build In tho interior NUM-
ton works where the finished product
Is used in ship yards. on the coasts.
or on ships aflnat. This step was taken
as a result Of feeling that all the
eggs in our national preparedness
should not be IN one basket. and that
safety requires some Of the plants be-
yond tho mountains where they Will be
protected If an enemy should land In
a city on our seabonrd.
Interest In Navy.
There was once n fiction that inter-
est in the navy was largely conhded 10
ports were naturally interested in ships
and the sea; where they could observe
the work going on in the navy yards
and at docks and piers and watch the
warships sailing into and out or hnr.
hors. Eut that Idea no longer prevails.
The navy today is az firmly anchored In
the hearts Of the people Of the interior
rs Of those who live along our coasts.
When war was declared and many
thousands IF recruits were required TO
man our lighting ships, the young men
from the farms and industrial cities
of the interior were as quick to re-
spond to the call as those Of our sea-
board cities. Many homes In this and
other states have sent forth brave boys
who arc wearing the naval uniform.
serving their country. and many fam
lily has q personal interest in the navy
II never felt before. Indeed cnlislments
came faster than the navy was prepared
TO assimilatc the new recruits.
In this war the whole people have
some to feel more clearly than over
before that the navy Is q truly nationl
possession in which every American. no
matter where he lives. has apart. They
have q new pride in Its readiness and
in it's achievement
West Virginia Case.
The coal from your mountains FUR
nEshcs the fuel for our ha,tleships as
they plough the seas Your iron and
steel are embodied in our drcRdnoughts
and the huge guns they carry. Your
mines and foUndries are working for
the navy today. making 1t possible to
cary on tho great construction program
we have underway which is giving us
Il navy greater and moro powerful than
VIC dared hope for few years ago
a first line IF defense" that Is a bull
wark Of safety To the nations hghttnS
units that are doing their part in this
war for American rights md world
wide democracy.
NO Ordinary Occasion.
This Is no ordinary occasion II is
fur more than mere gala day cere-
mony. 1t IS. indeed. historic m the
deepest and broadcast sense Of the word.
ror in hrcukinC ground at this limo