Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-01-23
HERE'S A SCREAM.

| least-is the price the navy managers
is going to sacrifice by refusing to con-
fess publicly the failure of Henry Ford
Eagle boat program and abandon it, "
SAYS the Daily Iron Trade and Metal
Market Report in. its issue of Deem
Der &c, 1918, in an article on the Ford
Eagle. The article is much too long
for detailed reproduction. but few
choice cuttings therefrom doubtless will
prove interesting, as well as enlighten-
ing to our readers. For the wealth OF
information it contains the article has
been referred to the United States SEN
ate committee on Naval Affairs for its
inquisitoria consideration. ON cut
tings from the scream follow:
with the signing of the armistice
and the informing of the enemy's u
boats in British and Italian harbors,
continues the Iron Trade and Metal
Market Report, "the primary objective
of these $3.50, 900. 200-foot steel craft
being built by Ford has been attained
"For patrol and gunboat duty in
peace time they are next to impossible
| by reason of their excessive mainten-
ance and operating charges. In fact,
high officials of the Navy department
themselves have admitted they will not
be needed until the next war.
"But the only concession the navy
has made so far, and the only one it
fatty declares it will make, has been to
pare the program from 60 Eagles to 90.
On the face of it this is generous re-
duction Of 40 per cent, but considering
that the turbines, boilers. and auxiiaries
for the entire 100 have been built and
practically all Of the plates rolled and
punched, the apparent reduction of 40
per cent shrinks to bare TO- And the
$50, 000 600 the navy is to pay for sub
marine chasers in peace time is only
the start.
Whether the Eagles which Ford
undertook to construct with great flour
ish and bIare of trumpets as his chief
contribution to the winning of the war,
are good or poor boats from the stand
point of design is still a matter of opin-
ion. 1t is fact mot opinion that the
highly touted Ford organization crump-
led when it attempted the boats, and
never gave them a chance to show.
Had the late candidate for the Sen
ate lived up to his contract, SO Eagles
would have been completed and in com
mission by December Is. AS a matter
of fact, exactly seven had been com
pleted by that date three being in New
London, Conn. and four somewhere
between Detroit and New London and
OF hese seven, six weresrushed to the
coaR leaking and generally Incomplete
to get them out before the freeze
The contract, dated March l, 1918,
says
Should the actual cost of each yes
sci in the execution of the work reach
or exceed the sum of $275. 0O0 or such
revised, estimated cost in lieu thereof
as shall be determined on account of
changes 80 the contractor shall be
paid the fixed sum for profit of $40, 600
for each vessel Should the actual cost
| be less than the estimated cost revised
as aforesaid for cost of changes, the
constructor shall be paid as profit in ad-
dition to 500, 600 for each vessel, one
fourth the amount by which the such
actual cost on each vessel falls short of
the estimated cost revised as aforesaid.
Should the department desire to
terminate the work under this contract
before the completion Of all vessels .
1t shall give 80 days notice - The
contractor shall be paid for all work on
vessels the completion of which shall be
abandoned the actual cost thereof plus
10 per cent profit collective liabil-
lily of contractor for breach of guar
antics and agreements as to material,
workmanship, and performance shall be
limited to 81, 600 on each vessel
Probably" adds the report from
which the above is taken. "Sl, 500, 600
will be the minimum profit that win ac-
crue to Ford "