New-York tribune., 1918-04-09
Chairman Hurley Will Ask
for an Appropriation
of $5O,OOO,OOO
Five Government
Yards Are Proposed
Friends of New Venture
Enthusiastic Over Ship
ping Boards Decision
By Theodore M. knappen

WASHINGTON, April 8.-Chairman
Hurley, of the Shipping Board, to-day
put the concrete ship question up to
Congress. He announced he would sug
gest to Congress an appropriation Of
S50,000,000 and intimated he would lay
before it all the data he has gathered
for and against concrete ships, thus
leaving the responsibility for the de-
cision with the lawmakers.
The announcement followed a con-
ference this morning initiated by Scna-
tor McCumber, of North Dakota, and
attended by him, Senator Simmons, of
North Carolina, chairman of the
Finance Committee; Mr.. Hurley, Gen
eral Manager Piez, of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation, and r. J. Wig, chief
of the Department of Concrete Ship
Construction.
In the event that Congress decides
to assume the responsibility and makes
the necessary appropriations, it is
planned to establish FIVE government
concrete shipyards, two in Southern
California and three on the South At
lantic or Gulf. Transportation facili-
ties and proximity to materials will
be the governing features in determn-
ing the locations Each yard will have
from four to seven ways and viii be
large enough to accommodate 7,500-ton
vessels.
To Build Two Glasses
y
7,5OO-ton vessels, some oil tankers and
some cargo boats, and few of the
3,5OO-ton type, the plans for which
have been completed. They will be
used chiefly in the coastwise trade
and will be provided with reciprocating
engines, their speed being about seven
knots. 1t is estimated that they viii!
cost about $55 ton, as compared with
$14O for wooden ships and SITS for
steel.
AS members of Congress have stated
repeatedly that Congress gladly would
assume the responsibility for the con-
crete ship venture. friends of the con-
crete ship say that they are we'll
pleased with Mr.. Hurley's decision. 1t
will take six weeks or two months to
complete design for the 7,500-ton
oHip, DUt IL SOHSlScS 0iiOuiN eohC iil.-
mediate action the time can be used to
good advantage in preparing the yards
End building the ways.
In view of the apparent disposition
of the Shipping Board to temporize on
the concrete ship question, even in the
face Of Mr.. Wigs report, which was
cmphatically favorable, the decision
reached to-day was received with great
satisfaction by the friends of the new
! venture.
Credit Due McCumbcr
Credit for the rather unexpected cul-
mination of the first stage of the long
ca-.paign for concrete ships belongs in
large measure to Senator p. J. Nc
Cumber, of North Dakota, who often
has conferred with Mr.. Hurley on the
subject, and succeeded in interesting
President Wilson, who is said to be
strongly in favor of a Congressional
appropriation.
Fifty million dollars should be suf-
fcient for the cost of the yards and
about one hundred ships. 1t is believed
to be Mr. Hurleys idea that by the
time the yards and ways are ready for
the main programme the Faith, now
Quitting at San Francisco, and other
ships now contracted for will have
demonstrated absolutely whether the
concrete ship is practical success or
not, 80 that in the one event little time
will be lost, and in the other little
| mOneV wasted