Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-29
BOATS BEING BUILT
BY FORD DESCRIBED
New Type of Craft Expected to
Be of Great Service Put
ting Down the Hun.

Detroit.-With the launching of Eagle
/, the first of the fleet Of submarine
destroyers being built by Henry Ford
for the United States navy, detailed in
formation concerning the construction,
purposes and possibilities of this new
est naval weapon became public for
the first time. The general belief that
the boats were little more h exag-
gerated launches, equipped with light
sci, 204 feet long, larger than the old
type of United States destroyers. was
dropped into the waters of River Rouge
by a great mechanism operated by
hydraulic pressure. Tabulated by
dates the story of the Eagle is this:
December %, 1917-Henry Ford Of
fered to build boats for the navy.
December 27-Discussed plans with
Washington officials.
January IS, 191S.-Navy department
awarded Ford company contract for
Eagles.
January 1s-work on design of
Eagles completed.
January 26.-First piece for boat was
completed.
February 7.-Keel for first Eagle was
laid.
February ACCOMMODATION of the
shipbuilding plant began.
March Hull of the first Eagle was
completed.
May l0.-Work on the construction
of Eagles was begun in shipbuilding
plant.
June 15.-several boats were as
sembled.
July 11.-First completed boat
launched.
The Eagles are within 30 feet of APP
proximating the length OF the standard
$500 ton wooden ships being built for
the emergency fleet corporation.
N-~h 1ro,a "bove deck. the Eagle
is much more like a founder than a
.... AS nidship cross-section
bears y strong kenes to the lines of
and blunt. The remainder of h
ship is built generally in straight
lines and plane surfaces. The bow,
however, tapers to a knife-like edge
emingly sharp enough and strong
enough literally to cut a submarine in
two.
Except for the high deck hous and
the bridge a little forward amidships,
the deck of the Eagle is unbroken.
Utility has been the ruling cons.aera-
ton, with low cost production second
in Importance, and with beauty and
comfort only incidentals.
The Eagles are built to pass easily
through the Welland canal and the
boats draught and beam are also small
enough to permit the BOATS passing
through the New York state barge
canal. The boats will have a draw of
eight feet when fully equipped and
ready for sea. A steam turbine. geared
TO the propeller shaft on which is
mounted a single three-blade screw of
rather deep pitch. furnishes the motive
power. Crude oil will be used as fuel.
The tank capacity is easily sufficient
for a steaming radius equal to the dis
lance across the Atlantic.
There is not a forging or rolled beam
in the entire ship. Everything is
nressed from sheet metal, cold, by
means of automatic machinery that
cuts every piece to an exact pattern.
Their punches the rivet holes and bends
every part to it's required shape.
After the launching of the first Eagle
MIR. Ford said: 81 am. of course. de-
lighted at this initial success, but I
knew it would be all right. When you
have a task like this. entrusted to men
who knew their business. it ant go
wrong. I left them alone-but watched
all Of the time.
There's no use making unnecessary
ftss over a little launching. We've
get a lot more back in the shops nearly
rc;.dy to follow Eagle l."