The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-22
EIGHT CRUISERS
 OF NAVY FOUND
 TO BE DEFECTIVE
The 10000 Ton Vessels in Which United States Was Taking Pride, Not in War Shape
BY RAYMOND CHAPTER United Press Stan Correspondent.

United Press Stan Correspondent.
 Washington, July 22.-(UP)- Concerned over two important de- fects discovered in It's prized 10,- 000-ton treaty cruisers. the navy department has decided to use ra- dium in detecting vital weaknesses in ship parts such as recently de- veloped under battle tests.
 The navy has purchased a half gram of radium for regular use af- ter success in discovering hidden defects in the stern post castings of five of the eight cruisers of the 1924 program, which cracked un- der strain of battle tests.
 Secretary of the Navy Charles Francis Adams says it Is not of- ffcially determined whether fautly casting or faulty design was re- sponsible. Officers under him at tribute the cracks party to both causes, that is bad design which failed to allow for internal weak nesses in the casting of such huge blocks. In any event the stern posts are being replaced with much heavier ones. In the cases of the Chester and the Augusta the con tractor bears the cost of about s18,00O each under the six months guarantee against defective ma terial.
 Naval constructors also nave found it advisa ble to make altera- ,tions in all eight cruisers of this group which showed unsatisfactory rolling qualities making gunfire less effective and contributing, ac- cording to an officer, to a mishap in which the topmast of the Salt Lake City was snapped off in high sea some time ago. Work has started on two.
 Whether these difficulties are due to the normal hazards of na- val design, as naval officers insist, or to actually incompetent work is a question for investigation.
 Chairman Britten of the House naval affairs committee tele- graphed the United Press that the committee undoubtedly" would investigate the reported weakness es in the cruisers "because accur- ate gunnery is the most vital ele- ment of a warship.'
 The situation develops at an un- welcome time for the navy be- cause the navy general board Is In session daily now working out building program seeking to ln- duce congress to expand the navy up to the limits of the London na- val treaty. Congress was indif- ferent to the navY's building hopes last winter and the approach of the disarma conference adds another factor in opposition.
 Secretary Adams regards the difficulties as indicating the desir- ability of continuous construction when defects could be caught ship by ship instead of construction in punches when any faults in the mauter design are embodied in all ships.
 In Investigating the cause of the cracks which appeared in the stern post castings of the five cruisers, the navy department bor- rowed radium from Johns Hop kinD university to make Gamma Ray tests oof the interior condl- tion of the metal. The Gamma Ray tests of the interior condition of the metal The Gamma Ray will penetrate 16 inches of steel.
 Internal cracks were discovered inside the huge castings, which are about 14 feet high and rect long. To prevent repetition or such costly replacements the navy has bought the half-gram of ra- dium. It is equal to about half a small timble full and cost ap- proximately $50,000.