The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-01-09
Ships Built Cheaper Than Was
Believed Possible Before
the War.
ADDS wealth TO NATION
Great Saving In Cost and Maintenance
Of Ships by Adopting Standard
Sizes and Patterns-Long
:. HauIs Cut.

ually will appear in tremendous fig
ures on the credit side of the great
war ledger to help offset some of the
staggering figures Of the debit side will
be the added wealth to the nation of
the huge American merchant fleet
which the demands of the war have
brought into existence and which, pes
simists to the contrary notwithstand-
ing, will not pass with the passing Of
hostilities.
The United States is turning out at
this time not only many more ships
than ever before in the history Of the
nation, but many more than any other
nation ever turned out in the same
space of time. And, too, they are be-
ing built cheaper than before the war
it was believed within the range Of
possibilities. And the great secret Of
this rapidity of construction and econ
omy Of cost is summed up in n word
Standardization.
In times of peace the building of
merchant ships in the United States
was not quite a lost art, but it certain
ly was far from being one of the great
and important industries here. The
United States government was keep
ing hands off and there was little en-
couragement for private capital to go
into the enterprise. But when the war
anne all was changed. A great fleet
Of merchant ships became necessary
FOR Tho c,I,oooccf,,1 yrocno,1fi0n 0f tho
war, for the conveyance of troops and
supplies to the countries overseas. The
United States government undertook
the task. Time became an important
factor and then it was discovered that
lack Of standardization was a serious
handicap and must be overcome if rap
i'd progress and economy in cost were
to be considered. Standardization was
necessary and standardization was put
into practice.
Benefits Of Standardization.
The manufacture of clothing, hats
and shoes is largely standardized as
to sizes and patterns. For this rea-
son Il standardized suit of clothes or a
pair of shoes costs much less than so
called made to order apparel. 1t is be-
cause standardization permits of the
use Of labor-saving machinery, plus
quantity of production. Other familiar
examples of successful standardization
are found in the dollar watch and the
corresponding thing in automobiles.
Americas problem, then, is to make
q 6n1l0r chin en- RI cooo1y nr If Won
prefer it, a seagoing ''fivyer," some
thing easily replaced in whole or in
part, but at the same time a thorough
ly sound proposition from the stand
point Of utility and economy. This
e standardization all along the
line. The more nearly the fabricated
shapes for hulis and all ship machinery
and ship equipment conform to
standard sizes or patterns, the greater
will be the saving in initial cost and
maintenance of ships.
It is the purpose of the United
States Shipping Board Emergency
Fleet corporation to effect this, some
thing it has already accomplished with
respect to many things. The fact
that no such thing existed when
emergency shipbuilding began made
early progress slow. There were not
only the problems Of organization, but
the further complications always at
tending large construction enterprises
before materials and methods have
become fully standardized.
nm Aa,Ie Elino;na$>l
Under standardization it is possible
to let contracts on a geographical as
well as cost basis, thus eliminating
long distance hauls. Under the old plan
1t was sometimes necessary to ship
boats and RATS from Vancouver,
Wash, to Bristol, Pa. This meant
high transportation cost.
In the early days blocks came in
200 different sizes. Blocks and fittings
have been so cut in size as to increase
plant facilities about IS per cent.
Manufacturers are now concentrating
on production where formerly a large
part of the business included the max
ing of new dies with attending in.
crease in cost.
In the case of costly machinery,
such as boilers and engines, Standard.
cation has eliminated many intermedi.
ate sizes. Nautical instruments
plumbing fixtures, winches, windlasses
in fact, all of the thousand and one
things that go to make a fully equip
ped ship-will be entirely standard
lied whenever it is possible to accom-
pliSh it. Standardization has invaded
even the galley and is being applied tt
stewards outfits. There will be NJ
longer miscellaneous sets of equip
,ment that may meet the requirement:
of one ship but not those of another
Linen, bedding and furniture are be
iing standardized.
Serves His King Though 80.
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