National Republican., 1883-04-30
STEAM STEEL CRUISERS.
The Plans for the New vesscIs-Propo-
sails for Government OF the Bidders.

The Plans for the Now VesscIs-Propo-
sails for Government OF the Bidders.
Tho law requires the Navy department to
insert sixty days advertisement for pro-
posals for the new steam cruisers in five of
the leading newspapers. in tho United States
The department. Saturday determined to
publish it in two papers in New York, and
in one in each of the cities Of Boston, Phila-
delphia, and Baltimore, and to select only the
papers having the largest circulation.
Tho five newspapers have been selected,
and the following detailed invitations for
proposals will appear in them next Tues
day morning:
NEW STEAM CRUISERS FOR THE UNITED
STATES NAVY.
Sealed proposals are hereby invited until
noon of Monday, July 2, 1883, for the con-
struction by contracts with the Navy depart
ment of one steam cruiser of about 1900 tons
displacement, two steam cruisers each of
about 5000 tons displacement and one dis
patch boat of about 1900 tons displacement,
authorized by congress to be built for the
United States navy.
Proposals will be received either from
American shipbuilders, whose shipyards are
fully equipped for building or repairing iron
and steel steam pipes, or from constructors OF
marine engines, machinery and boilers Sat
isfactory evidence that the bidders arc such
builders or constructors must accompany the
proposals or be submitted TO the department
in advance.
These vessels are to be built in accordance
with all the requirements of the acts Of con-
gress of Aug. 8, 1882, and March 3, 1883. They
are all to bo constructed Of steel, of domestic
manufacture, having, rs nea as may be lac
cording to the tests to be provided for in the
contracts), a tensile strength of not less than
10000 pounds to the square inch, and due
tility in eight inches of not less than 20 per
cent.
THE $500 TON CRUISER.
The dimensions Of the 4,500 ton cruiser will
be, length between perpendiculars, 315 feet;
extreme breadth, 4S feet 2 inches; depth of
hold from top of spar deck beams TO inner
bottom, 81 feet and A inches; mean draught,
10 feet. The vessel is to be constructed with
a double bottom of 42 inches in depth, ex-
tending through the entire space occupied By
the machinery, boilers and transverse coal
bunkers, over which also will bo fitted de-
| Elective steel deck H. inches thick the outer
edge extending about four feet below the load
water line.
The machinery will be two complete sets of
compound beam engines for twin screws, each
engine with one high and one low pressure
cylinder of As and ~ inches in diameter,
with piston strokes Of SO and 81 inches re-
spectively. Each set will have one condenser,
with condensing surface of not less than
4S00 square feet and one independent COM
bined air and circulating pump. There will
be Ia steel boilers of 8 feet diameter and 10
feet long, each capable of sustaining work.
ing pressure of 100 pounds, with an aggre-
gate crate surface Of not less than S02 square
feet and heating surface of not less than
10000 square feet, all fitted for forced COM
| hng wit fnnr hlNmara IF 90 o.
ity therefor and for veutilating the ship.
There will also be required the necessary
steam pumps for fire and other purposes, and
two screw propellers, each 15 feet inches in
diameter, with 22 feet inches pitch.
THE 5000 TON CRUISERS.
The dimensions of tho 5000 ton cruisers
will be, length 270 feet; breadth, 42 feet
depth from top Of main deck beams on top oi
flat keel plate, 26 feet and IL inches mean
draught, II feet. The vessels are to be con
structed with double bottoms, 40 inches deer
amidships, extending through the entire
space occupied by the boiler, engines, an6
transverse coal bunkers, over which also will
be fitted q protective steel deck IA inches il
thickness.
The machinery will be back acting com
pound engine with one high and two low
pressure cylinders, of 81 and "a inches
diameter respectively, with piston stroke o.
42 inches; two condensers with condensinl
surface of not less than $500 square feet. ~anC
two independent combined air and circulat
ing pumps, There will be eight cylindrical
steel boilers of IL feet 8 inches diameter ant
feet 8 inches long, each capable Of sustain
ing a working pressure of 90 pounds, with al
aggregate crate surface of not less than 40
square feet and heating surface of not les
than 10000 square feet, all fitted for forcet
combustion with blowers of sufficient capacit!
therefor and for ventilating the ship. Their
will also be required the necessary stean
} pumps for fire and other purposes, and
screw propeller II feet in diameter with 2
feet pitch.
THE DISPATCH BOAT.
The dimensions of the dispatch boat will
: be: Length, 240 feet; breadth, 80 feet; meal
l draft, excluding keel, 1874 feet, and the vesse
? will have displacement of about 1900 tons
The machinery will be one compound engine
a with two vertical overhead cylinders of A
! and 75 inches diameter, respectively, and
piston stroke of 4S inches, with one surfac
condenser having condensing surface Of nc
e less than 3,400 square feet, an air pun
4 worked by beam connected with the cross
! head of the low pressure cylinder, and an in
9 dependent ntcirculating pump. There will be tw
u steel boilers of IL feet diameter and 1S feet
o inches long, each with two furnaces at eac
I, end, with separate back connections and tw
/. steel boilers of IL feet diameter and 0 feet
a inches long, each with two furnaces all tn
boilers to be capable of sustaining workin
: pressure of 90 pounds and to have an aggr,
l. gate crate surface of not less than 275 squai
: feet with heating surface of about $3.50
n square feet, all fitted for forced combustion
= | with three blowers of sufficient capacit
therefor and for ventilating the ship. TheI
+ will also be required the necessary steai
u pumps for fire and other purposes, and sore
IS propeller of Ia feet diameter and length an
n pitch for speed of fifteen knots.
No offer for more than one vessel should
}, included in the same proposal.
Each contract awarded will be for the hu
(. and machinery of one vessel, with such equil
II ment as may be specified.
II Each proposal must be preceded or accon
panied by cash deposit or satisfactory cert
y fed check; payable to the order of the seer
ii tary of the navy which shall become IL
b. property of the United States in case IL
O. successful bidder shall fail to enter contra
with sureties as required within twent
days after the acceptance Of his proposal. III
amount of such deposit or check shs
be $4,000 on the 4,500 ton cruise
a. $4,000 ON each of the 80
of ton cruisers and $4,000 on tl
II dispatch boat. All deposits and checks, al
r., checks of bidders whose proposals shall n
m be accepted within five days after the secor
n day of July, 1883, will at the end Of tn
h period be returned to them; and those
"a each successful bidder will be returned
n. him when his contract has boon duly o
q. tered into.
a ~ Every successful bidder will be requir
ss within twenty days after the acceptance
his proposal to enter into formal contract [
a the performance of his work, and to 81