Evening star., 1938-01-17
NAVY MAY REOPEN
ALEXANDRIA UNIT
Torpedo Plant at Newport,
R. l., Will Be Retained as
"Primary Source"
By the Associated Press.

b, the Associated Press.
The Navy plans to resume manu-
facture of torpedoes at Alexandria, Va,
to meet Temporary demand" but
will retain the Newport. r. L.. torpedo
station as the primary source Of
production and design.
Rear Admiral w. L. F1lrlong. Ord
nance Bureau chief. outlined the plan
in testimony before a House Appro-
priations Subcommittee made public
today
He said the Newport Station. operat-
ing at capacity now, could not meet the
increased demands resulting from the
naval construction program.
1t would be cheaper, he said. to re-
open the Alexandria plant and in
crease production approximately 20
per cent than to enlarge the Newport
station to provide = comparable in
crease.
Representative Martin, Republican,
OF Massachusetts,. said last week the
Appropriations Committee had ap-
proved the Alexandria plan. which he
asserted WAS AN initial step to close
the Newport. r. l., station"
Building Is Available.
Admiral Furlong estimated an ex-
penditure Of $2,761.153 in the next
two fiscal years. including $l.532,153
in 1889. will completely re-establish'
the Alexandria station. He pointed
out that buildings already are avail
able at Alexandria and the major cost
OF resuming operations there would be
for equipment
Admiral Furlong said II the Navy.s
construction program were increased
to any great extent q West Coast site
for torpedo production would be de-
sirable'
with Newport and Alexandria both
working to capacity and not another
destroyer or submarine laid down
after 1882" he said. "our present ttor-
pedo) requirements for new vessels
will not be met until 1914. At that
time Newport would 60 back to Its
normal employment OF 1000 men In
one day shift, as existed between 1924
and 1888. and Alexandria would drop
from 1000 men to 600."
To Prevent Concentration.
Admiral Furlong also told the sub
committee reopening Of the Alex
andria station. rather than enlarRine
the Newport station was advisable to
prevent concentration of all torpedo
manufacturing.
This view was disputed by Repre-
sentative Forand. Democrat, Of Rhode
Island. who said the harbor at New
port "is 80 we'll protected that occu-
patton OF the place is practically i'm
possible"
"On the other hand" he said. 1T
the enemy should attack and capture
the Capital At Washington, AZ was
done once before. they would come up
the Potomac River and - find
the torpedo plant at Alexandria. the
radio-sisnal station at Arlington. the
naval aviation base and the gun fac
tory here at Warrington, all Of which
could be tied up by simply blocking
WAN ~AASNAA VA tllC IlVCI.
Cite Food Cost Advance.
Other facts cleaned from testimony
given a House Appropriations Sub
committee on the naval supply bill:
Naval Academy officials said food
costs have risen Is per cent on the
average to IS cents . day.
Admiral William d. Ieahy, the
Nays chief Of operations, warned
that any delay in shipbuilding or
aircraft programs would "jeopardise"
the Nations security. THE political
conditions in the world" he said,
both in Europe and the Far East, are
more threatening than 1T any time
since 1918, and are distinctly worse
than q year ago."
Admiral w. G. Du Bose, chief Of the
Bureau Of Construction and Repair,
estimated it would take sass. 900 900
to complete the u ships now under
construction and S2oe ,000, 900 to finish
~ vessels for which initial appropri.
ations were sought for the 1899 fiscal
year. He said the cost of building
naval craft keeps going up. and some
material prices increased as much as
rs and 30 per cent in the last year.
Sixteen more ships and 1T new
airplanes would be operated in the
coming fiscal yeaf than the Navy had
during the current fiscal year, Rear
Admiral H. :. Kimmel, Navy buaset
omcer, tastified.
The Navys Aeronautics Bureau has
set "a objective Of 2.0S0 planes BY
1e41. compared With An earlier goal
OF l.4c.