Evening star., 1936-02-20
SHIP MODEL BASIN
ACTION IS PRESSED
Special Rule to Speed
S3,500,000 Project
to Be Asked.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Chairman Vinson of the House Ma.
val Affairs Committee expects to ap.
pear today before the House Rules
Committee to ask for a special rule
giving privileged consideration to a
bill favorably reported by the Naval
Affairs Committee authorizing con-
struction of ship model basin estab-
lishment for the Navy Department,
near Washington, at cost Of s3,-
100000.
Early action is sought so that the
appropriations, which have already
been approved by the Budget Bureau
and included in the Presidents budget,
can be included in the Navy appro-
priation bill, on which hearings are
now being held.
The legislation would authorize the
Secretary of the Navy to acquire ap-
proximately SIS acres of land, prefer
ably in the vicinity of Cabin John,
Md. and to construct a model basin
there for the Navy Department in
connection with the design of United
States vessels, including aircraft. 1t
provides. however, that the Secretary
may authorize experiments for private
parties at this establishment, the cost
to be betrayed by such private parties
under regulations to be issued by him.
The results of these private expert
ments would be regarded as confiden-
tial, with the right given to the Sec
retary to use data obtained for Gov
eminent purposes, subject to the pat
ent laws of the United States.
Endorsed by Navy.
At hearings before the House COM
nittee officials of the Navy Depart
ment Endorsed the project, which Is
included in the public works program
of the Bureau Of Construction and Re-
pair. The Budget Bureau has re-
ported the bill is in accord with the
financial policy of the President II
is expected the site can be acquired
within 100000.
Two years ago Rear Admiral Emory
S. Land, chief of the Bureau of Con-
struction and Repair, appeared before
the House Naval Affairs Committee
advocating favorable action on this
proposition.
1t is a merchant marine proposition,
the committee was told, and will be
about so per cent self-supporting.
The present naval ship model basin
at the Washington Navy Yard, de-
signed in 1895 and completed in 1900.
is now out of date and inefficient, the
Navy Department reports. It has un-
satisfactory foundations, is entirely
inadequate in size and characteristics
to meet the demands of the Navy and
merchant marine. There is no other
ship basin in the country capable Of
performing the desired work. Every
important maritime country of Europe
has far more modern, scientific and
up-to-date model basins for the de-
sign of naval and merchant vessels.
All Designs Possible.
The proposed establishment would
be capable of caring for the design
of all ships, including those for in
land waterways and the Great Lakes,
TO insure their having characteristics
necessary for efficient and economical
operation.
The basin proposal carries the sup
port of the Society of Naval Archi-
tects and Marine Engineers, Society
of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of
Aeronautical Science, Society of Auto
motive Engineers, National Council
of American Shipbuilders, American
Steamship Owners Association, Pro-
peller Club of America and the Amer
ican Engineering Council. It has
been approved by Secretary Of the
Navy Swanson, the United States
Shipping Beard Bureau, United States
Lighthouse Service, Inland Waterways
Corp, United States Coast and Geo.
detic Survey and the United States
Coast Guard.