Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-03
ELECTRIC DRIVE
ADOPTED BY NAVY
Capital Fighting Ships to be
Driven by Currents Gener-
ated by Turbines.

superior TO those Of other nations because
of their electrically driven machinery,
Secretary Daniels told the House Naval
Committee yesterday in disclosing
markabe results attained by the new
dreadnought New Mexico. equipped with
the electric drive. which is TO be a feature
of all the big ships authorized since 1916
The New Mexico's turbo-electrc ma
chincry was designed 10 develop 26, 800
horsepower at full speed and to give the
ship a speed of 81 knots.
''Shc actually developed more than
81, 900 horsepower" Mr. Daniels said.
''and maintained for four hours a speed
of II q knots and this when running al a
displacement 1000 tons greater than her
design called for
III she had been tried At her designed
displacement ms IL customary with all new
ships, she would have made II } knots
without any trouble whatever; and what
Is still better. she would have kept up this
speed as long as hcnfucl lasted. for like all
our latter drcadnoughts, she is an oil
burner and there would be no reduction in
speed due 10 the necessity Of cleaning fires,
which must be done with coal burning
shipsEftcr run Of four hours at top speed Z
ECONOMY IN CRUISING SPEED.
The Secretary said fuel economy at
cruising speed had been one OF the things
sought IN substituting electric drive for
the ordinary turbine equipment.
And am happy to say, he added,
that this requirement also was met
A. matter of fact the New Mexico will
steam at ten knots on about 25 per cent
less fuel than the best turbine driven ship
that preceded her.
Freedom TO spend the S36 .000. 600
Aviation Appropriation as he chooses was
asked by the Secretary No one could
forsee developments in flying, he said. and
for that reason expenditures could not be
accurately determined for a long time
ahead.
Thousands Of applications for discharge
are being made by enlisted men, he SAID,
and il is impossible to release all
The department has decided to give
first consideration 10 men with depend
ents," he added. and those who desire
to return 10 school are considered second
Captains have been instructed TO classify
all the men and all discharges will be
granted according to these ClaSslflcations.
Secretary Daniels refused TO comment
up on a London Graphic criticism Of his
recent statement that the United States
Navy should be second to none. They
don understand was all he would sav.
BUILDING COSTS SOARING.
War conditions have brought about
an enormous increase in the cost Of
building ~arships. Rear Admiral Taylor,
chief Of the Bureau Of Construction
and Repair, told the committee in dis
cussing the 1920 Naval Appropriation
bill He estimated that the hulls and ms
chinery OF the ten battleships and six
battle cruisers authorized in 1916 would
cost nearly Sl50,000,000 more than
estimated-an increase OF almost 30
per cent.
Admiral Taylor said he did not think
II wss hkelv that the end OF hoStIlities
would result IN any speedy reduction
IL costs. After the Civil war. he sand.
there was no appreciable lowering of
costs Of labor and materials within three
wears.
The battleship Mississippi. "a new
ship delivered last YEAR was built on
contract for S9,ll5.o00 the admiral
said, 'hut the company which built Il
lost large SUN o: money and when
bids On tho battleship California and
Tennessee were asked for, no contractor
submitted d bid under the estimated
cost of $500, 600 The government
then decided to build them IN its own
navy yards and the cost vii amount
10 probably sll .25O,O0O each. an IN
crease OF 43 per cent over the estimated
cost.
SEES $50 600. 900 INCREASE.
The same increase will apply prob
ably 10 capital ships authorized in the
1916 three-yesr program. For the ten
bsttleships and six battle cruiser pro
vided fo- IL this program, | imagine
the increase will amount 10 nearly Slj0.-
oUJ.OD0 TIN. applies 10 he huL- and
machinery alone ! would not venture
10 say how much the increase will be
for the a-rnor and armament. but | will
make inquiries and let the committee
know
Admiral Taylor said the cost of con
structing merchant ships has increased
from SO to $500 a ton while the cost
uf fattleshIps mas increased less than
Fifty per cent This has been accom-
plished. he said BY exercising the great
est economy possible in be government
navy yards and BY close super vision
in private wards which are building
bsttleShiye on tho cost-plus" basie
"The original estimate for The battle
ships Colorado Maryland Washington
and West Virginia, on which constr,Ic-
tion has been started, = Admiral Tavlor
said. was 81 800, 900 II i doubtful /
- tAa' 'tAtf - ''i@4t - III us ADG14 {
sl5. $1,000"
u there has been an increase 81 $3.50 T
ono 800 over the estimated cost Of ths /
1910 three-year program, what will
Tho increase bc IN the threc-y year progri.ni
just recommended nv Secretary Danicls"''
ssked Representative Butler of Pcnnsvl-
wanna ne cot Is estimated a. 5000 I
ON 600, but the estimates for the IN I
di1dual ships are not much larger tl4n /.
for fhors made IN n" lal5 program /
Surely they canno' b. made any chcapcr /.
than those beng Constructed no1r
Admiral TAYLOR replied that there
may be large reductions in the cost of +
construction before the program is started ,
The 1915 program will not be completed !
until 1928, be said, and the new. pro /
gram cannot be put into full swing BE- +
fore the present one Is out Of the yysy /
Contracts for all ships authorized in |
the 1915 program have been let except /
for two battleships, twelve torpedcboat |
destroyers, nine submarines and five
auxiliary vessels. the witueSs said. OF /
al the vessels authorized III 1916. the /
battle cruisers wall be completed last |
VACCINE PHYSICIANS CHOSEN.