New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-01
THE NEW CRUISERS AND GUNBoATs.

rury u1rt Mt RE FINISHED WITHIN THE LIMITS
OF THE CONTRACT - SECRETARY WHITNEY
ASKED TO BE MERCIFUL AND POSTPONE THE
PENALTIES.
Washington, Jan 31.-The contractors Tor the three
new cunboais. the dynamite gun vessel and the oris'
ers Baltimore and Charleston exertlng every efort
with the Navy Department TO secure an extension oil
time for the completion OF these vessels so as 10 aVou
the heavy penalties provided for In the Contracts IN
case OF delays in their construction The matter Is
interesting and important inasmuch a the Columbian
Iron Works Of Baltimore, waited month for airy
Whltney's decision upon the application for the pay
ment OF the first tnstalment on Gunboat No. - inc
limit of time for the completion OF which expired Oh
December 90. The Secretary directed mat as thore
was no risk relative to the collection OF the pchaeS
fhe payment of 10 per cent, or Si3.ooo' shOuiu DC
made Since the expiration Of the limit Of time FOR
Gunboat No there have been penalties OF $50 day
accumuiaiing for the delay In completing the boat
and the contractors state that they cannot finish II Tor
six months They also assert that this delay was IN
avoidable from the difficulty in procuring Suitable
material and the prevalence OF bad weather. anu
hence they should be relieved from the payment or
these penalties 1t is expressly provided In the CON
tracts that no allowance of time shall be MADE iof
DELAYS in procuring materials unless these are attrbut
able to the Navy Department or IFS agents, ana mol
then unless the shall Inform the secretary
in writing of the facts and circumstances In each case
The Secretary made sole Judge OF the force oil these
demands.
The contract for Gunboat No. l. building by William
Cramp & Sons at Philadelphia, expires to-day, ana
the penalty for delay is S25 per day for the FIRST SIX
months $50 per day for the next three months, anu
after that 5000 Asv This vessel Is no further al
vanced than Gunboat 10. The contract for building
the dynamite gun vessel, at Cramps yard, Will eA-
pirc February IL, when tie penalties begin Those
penalties the same a. those prescribed IN the oa
of Gunboats Nos. and Q, except that for the thru
three mouths delay the penalty is slOo per day sne
IS not nearly finished. -. "A
The Charleston and the Baltimore are the most adj
vanced of the vessels, but IL is admitted by the con
tractors that they cannot be completed before June
the limit OF thc contract This would seem 10 rcleot
upon the Judgment Of the Cramps, who are buildlhs
the baltimore, which IS not to be very unlike W"
Nanlwn-Kan. In letter to Secretary Whitney SIX
months before the contract for the Baltimore was
given out Mr. Cramp, who had Just examined the plans
Of the Naniwa Kan declared them 10 be so compete
thai tho constitution OF sslmar vessel for the nIea
States could be proceeded with AT onco; ana there
is no reason whv a vessel built here on these plans
should not Ne aoat this time next year ready Tor nof
battery and equipment" Tho contract for the b1l'r
more was given on December IT, 1885, the tine A.
lowed to com plee her eighteen months, ana sne
will not be finished In that time