Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-11-15
EXPERTS FIGURE
COST To j. 6. Of
HUGHES NAVAL
SCRAPP INC PLAN
Woud Be Between S400,-
100000 and $780,
100000, Exclusive of
Salvage, Officers Claim,
WORK IS NOT TO BE
STOPPED AT PRESENT
viii Continue Until Agree
n1ent Is Reached By the
Conference and Ratified
By the Governments.
(By The Associated I'ress.)

Washington, Nov. ii (by the AS
sociated Press cost of
the United States of the scrapping
Of the present naval building pro-
gram, naval officials estimated to-
day. would be between $400, 900
and $500, 100000, exclusive of any
salvage plan. In his statement to
1.-THE conference Secretary Hughes
said that the work already done
had cost $3.50. 100000. but these
figures do not include costs Incl
dent to abandonment of the ships
under construction.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
said today that the American pro-
gram would save the government
about $200,000,000 in naval ex-
penditures. The figure is the diff
ference between the total cost of
completion of the ships, about
5000, 100000 and what ccrapping
would cost. Included in the scrap
ping costs are allowance for re-
endorsement of contractors for
work they have been compelled to
do in their yards in preparation for
building the huge craft.
Work Will Continue.
There is no intention by the gov
ernment to stop work on the new
ships until an agreement actually
Is reached by the conference and
ratified by the governments.
That was made plain today.
Construction on the great majority
of the vessels is proceeding slowly.
however, the division of available
building funds averaging about ST.
100000 year per capital ship in
volved. The only ships on which
work has been halted, pending de-
velopments, are the two at New
York navy yard. Stoppage there,
1T was said, does not involve proba-
y1ility of damage suits for breach of
contract.
In any case, it was added, ex-
penditures in progress on ships that
may be ordered scrapped, are of
such a nature that they could not
be saved.
The brlk of the $2,o00.o00 a
year for each ship is for materials
ordered and which would have to
be paid for in any case. Only in
one or two cases is there large
labor force at work on actual build
ing.
Plants May Shut Down.
One phase of the program naval
officers have been struck with is
its probable effect on the three
great shipbuilding plants doing
most of the new ship construction.
Those plants, it was said. were en-
gagged almost entirely on govern
ment work and on those ships
which would be scrapped under the
plan. All three, it WIS predicted,
would in all probability be forced
to close. They are the plants of
the New York Shipbuilding COM
pany; the Fore River (Massachu-
setts) company, and the Newport
News company.
Officers Optimistic.
It was evident that naval officers
quite generally expected Mr..
Hughes plan to be accepted with
only minor notifications. There
was some surprise indicated that
the British delegation had not an
mounced acceptance Immediately
when the plan was prest hted. leav-
ing until later such adjustment of
details as might seem desirable.
The notifications which Mr.. Bal
four. heading the British group,
will submit tomorrow 1t was said.
apparently could have been worked
out afterward as well as before a
general agreement.