Evening star., 1946-01-25
Atomic Bomb Test
On Ships Expected
Ito Cost Halt Billion

BY the Associated Press. -!
The test of the atomic bomb versus
the modern warship stacked up to-
day as proposition that will cost
close to a half billion dollars, if not
more. ..
The exact amount was impossible
to calculate, but Navy figures sup
piled an indication of what would
be involved in the atomic expert
ment in the Pacific, beginning In
May : -.
This is what they show:
1t cost $230,OO0 900 alone for the
hulls and engines of the At United
States combat units assigned to the
guinea pig" fleet.
1t cost more than 500. 0.000, 900 more
for the Navy transports that make
up about half the Al noncombat
types that also will be targets.
$100,00O,000 Operating Expense.
Moreover, Navy men have esti-
mated unofficially that the operating
expenses involved in staging the ex-
pertinent next spring will run ap-
proximately $l00O00,O0O. The pay
Of personnel and cost of supplies
would boost that total.
No estimates are available on the
one German and two Japanese war
ships that will be used in the test,
but all are of the most costly types.
The hull-and-engine costs are
but part of the total outlay for
the United States warships, but no
figures could be obtained on the ex-
pense of armament and fittings that
boost the final cost total. On the
other hand, the ships will, be stripped
of much Of their guns and fittings
for the tests.
The figures do not take into ac-
count subsequent expenditures for
modernization, which in the case of
the battleship Nevada ran more
than 100000, exceeding her orig
inal hull and engine cost.
Blandy Silent on Question.
Vice Admiral w. H. P. Blandy,
commander Of the experiment, re-
fused at a press conference yester-
day to estimate the current worth
of the ships or the cost of the oper-
alton.
Noting the age of the warships,
which exceeds 80 years for all four
of the American battleships, he in
sisted that they were of negligible
value now for fighting purposes and
that monetary cost values would be
The value of the experiments
will be greater than the cost" he
maintained, declaring the informa-
tion to be obtained toward shaping
the national defense to the atomic
era would be of incalculable worth
to the country's future.
Some of the ships already are
en- route to the site of the initial
tests-Bikini Atoll in the Marshall
Islands.
Admiral Blandy revealed details
of the forthcoming tests before the
Senate Atomic Energy Committee
Later Chairman Nc
Mahon told newsmen that "the en-
tire Security Council of the United
Nations Organization ought to wit
ness the test.
He said he would consult with
the State Department about in
viting those and other foreign rep
Press to Have One Ship.
Present plans call for the use OF
one press ship in the coverage OF
the story, Admiral Blandy said. De-
pending on the wind direction, it is
expected this ship will stand of
to 10 miles from the guinea pig
feet when the first atom bomb is
detonated in the air.
The press ship probably will be
similar to the flagship selected by
the admiral, the Mount Mckinley
The ships are converted Victory
vessels, used as amphibious force
flagships during the war.
Admiral Blandy said it was
assumed reporters would not desire
to remain in the Bikini atoll area
during the long period between the
first test in early May and the
second test about July and that
therefore the press ship would re-
turn to Honolulu in the interim. He
estimated that reporters would be
away from Honolulu about two weeks
for each test.
Admiral Blandy said there will
have to be a limit" on the number
of reporters covering the tests. but
he did not specify the figure.