The Washington times., 1921-05-23

as floating forts off our coasts. The
can keep foreign vessels
from landing troops and firing on our
cities; provided, you secure some fast
fleet submarines to quickly change
a big surface fleet. We are not naval
experts, but that IL the way IT appeals
to the average workman who reasons
from historical examples. especially
" As long as FOREIGNERS BUILD
BIG WAR VESSELS we must. but We
must build Just as BIG and POWER
wua wsh az Co 'ss get CO ssnnS mot
fsneh shs sSnpsd sshp: Mos sP' of w. ss
.oSs su have s5 just
ed. Why. not suspend their construc-
tion pending revision Of their plans
to, to-, proxIds larger guns Es,an,,..In ana proceed
ships carry twelve 1einch guns. why
could not they be changed to carry
s5nsks kn sun: b: ~Saa ha so ':s sr
meeting the 2o.inch guns of the for.
stsner ,hs1 This o, is serious s.s cues question
lie is watching for solution.
stsSTni sYme u seem InMn, e think link that WE
NEW BIG SHIPS with guns as large
nieslmonsy niew n; problem especially in
fs,a Canal vssss sns our self need q
f TSe sf1S sRfT1sH ~ sSJf suPERHoop sRifes i. r..
ported in the press to be $4,000 tons
knots speed and to carry eight 20
inch guns. A vessel Of these char
acteristics would require to be about
IL feet beam (width) and 31h feet
OF course the draft might be in
creased In order to reduce the beam
to the Panama Canal size of 40 feet,
ssn hs It vssss wsSf weuS be ssvs :S
dcient stability to carry the eight
20-inch guns. and the heavy turrets !
to mount them.
know little about other types of
above as off hand data which you can
have checked up during the next few
faces a big technical probelm II for
eigners on the Pacific and on the At
lartic are going to build capital ships
OF ENLARGING the Canal and.
IR}EEEEPPGEHNlING p PENI OUR CHANNELS and
SSsH THxPAYEss fHaSLEaS 81 FAs EAsiNf 5NrTHb THb
STATEs; THE ExpENbTTpIrr GAEM3T YoT ~ JusT1EY Hw
MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON
FLEET SUBMARINES?
Does It not seem false economy to
stop s.p,,. submarines to get money for
Does not science, naval safety. and
ships just laid down and bring them
questions must be answered in time?
They are mighty big questions that
cannot be side-stepped II we expect
to hold our own on the seas.
We appreciate the wisdom and fair
ness of keeping the large. shipyards
open with capital ship contracts. but
have they not sufficient work ahead
Of some OF the isst big 'S Ships speasHY reeentIH
come from easing up at the Navy
Yards where big ships are just under
way and then bring these ships up
to date as to guns. ETC.?
To get money for aeroplane carrier
ships without sacrificing submarines.
the 1915 program. Several Of these
vessels are hardly started.
Page las OF the 1920 Annual Report,
profit allowed was in case Of the earli-
er vessels, 10% of the actual cost. On
the later vessels the profit was fixed
at asrsta defnite ,sg sum equal to definite
mated cost stated in the contract with
provision that the shipbuilder re-
ceive in addition, as an incentive to
economical construction. a bonus con-
sisting of definite proportion Of any
savings effected in actual cost below
the estimated cost. after adjusting
the latter to al ow for any authorized
changes in design of the vessel"
The hxed fee for battleships is
81 $50 900 each and for battle cruis.
ers about $4,000, 900. Apparently the
time wages and prices of materials
and the contracts are believed to have
been made prior to the recent cut in
wages OF say 20T i'm the steel mills
big private shipyards. Materials are
now much cheaper than during tho
war or prior to the recent wage cuts.
DID the BONUS In addition to the nx-
ed fee contemplate the making Of tho
vessels and parts during war time con-
ditions and II SO, Is 1t equitable to
give the contractor as a BONUS the
period and OF less costs in materials?
Should not the fixed fee in equity be
readjusted to wage scales and mate
rails prices current after the war dur
ing the time Of making the vessels
and parts?
Should not the orders for armor
plate ship steel, and machinery, IL
rails prices, be revised to current wages
and materials prices. prevailing dur
ing the post war making of things
for these big ships?
were not these contracts and or
ders based upon war powers which
give the like power Of revision?
Would not the adjustments to post
war conditions prevailing during the
making OF many OF these big vessels,
provide funds to build SEVERAL
SSQuADRONs OF SIX FLEET SUBJ
There may be other preferable ways
| aCOnOn1ia9
for building six fleet submarines:
however, we suggest. for considera-
tion. what comes to us and trust you
may find the fair equitable method OF
providing economies to get subma-
rines you do not feel justified In tax
ing the public for the relatively cheap
submarines
WE HAVE DELIVERED THE
GOODS IN SUBMARINES AND EXa,
PECT A SQUARE DEAL.
We are sorry for those whose ems
gines put them into bad luck; how
ever, we see no reaosn why the 81 81
class aubmarfnea built nv Ofhara IN a n