New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-04-20
Bic Cut in Cost
OF Shipbuilding
Delights Hurley
Submarine Concern Makes
Bid of SIi0 IA Ton for
1000 Ton Frcigh,ers,
Far Below the Estimates

WASHINGTON. April Since the
armistico afforded breathing spell in
the rush work on ship construction the
greatest bogy regarding the contn-
uation of Americas shiphuilding pro
eramme for the needs of peace has
been that our shpyards could not COM
pete with those of foreign nations and
that as 4 result American built ships
would be so heavily handicapped that
they would be unable to compete with
The output of foreign yards
The pre-war figure hung in the
minds of men. Even in 1916 American
prices ranged between $50 and $50 a
ton for twclve-knot freighters. For
this year estimates for the same type
run between S1S5 and s225 a ton.
Now comes the Submarine Boat Cor
poration, of Newark, n. J., with a fat
offer to build l2,00O-ton steel cargo
steamships at S149 per lightweight ton.
In formal communication to Chair
man f. n. Hurley, of the United States
Shipping Board. Henry n Carse, pres
ident of the Submarine Boat Corpora
tion, said:
The experience gained by us in du-
pilcating steel cargo ships in quantity
demonstrates beyond all question that
the procedure we are following will en-
able us TO build steel cargo ships in
the most economical manner known.
obtaining the highest efficiency from
the man power employed and produc-
ing q ship of highest possible classih-
cation.
The proposed ships will be 10000
ton lightweight capacity steel cargo
carriers. shelter-deck type, equipped
with 5000 l. H. P. reciprocating steam
engines, or 4,200 S. II. P. geared tur-
: bincs, Scotch boilers, oil burning. with
which power loaded sea speed of
twelve knots viii be guaranteed.
The Last Word in Economy
The ships would be built from the
designs of our Naval Architect, Mr..
Theodore +. Ferris, in association
with our Consulting Naval Architect,
Mr.. Frank Z. Kirby, securing the
commerce trade of the lowest ton
, mage dues and insuring the greatest
efficiency in operation and cargo
/ carrying capacity both in lightweight
1 and cubic feet
/ "By utilizing oil for fuel a steam
5 ing radius OF $4,000 knots Will be OBJ
tanned without refueling the ship.
Auxiliary machinery will be of the
X latest ard most approved types with
. large matches permitting the most
S efficient handling of cargo.
> "Quarters and other equipment &C
5 cording to the approved American re-
5 quirements, affording thereby the
. maximum comforts for the crew"
= Under date of April Chairman
- Hurley made this reply:
. ~ our proposal to build eight 1900
ton American type steel cargo steam
y ships at the fiat price of SAG per
i lightweight ton has been received.
This proposal is most interesting at
% this particular time when war costs
a have reached figure that are out of
q all proportion with our 1916 American
5 prices of from $64 to SOS per dead
IS weight ton on oil tankers, and Of
from $50 a ton for 0,000-ton cargo
a steamships to 500 a ton for high
y class 9,200ton cargo steamships with
IS speed Of from eleven to twelve knots.
Most prices mentioned and talked
% abort for 1919 have been from $lS5
q to 1925. Your proposal most effec-
] tlvety answers the question as to
o whether our steamships can compete
= in prices with foreign shipyards.
You have demonstrated what a we'll
managed and efficiently run American
shipyard, that knows its cost of pro
duction, can DO in competition with
the leading shipyards in this and
> other countries.
The receipt Of such a bid from one
= Of our best yards at this period in
= the Gevelopm ent Of our shipbuiiding
industry Will be most gratifying to
J., the country, as IL is safe to assume
. that If we can build ships at those
figures now. in q short time the prices
.ttfiI be- ff1rt err -f1l jstartfnItv reduced