The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-04-04

WASHINGTON, April 3-Bids we're open
ed at the navy department to-day for the
construction OF an armored coast defense
vessel Of the Monitor type, 1000 tons bur
den. The bidders for constructing the hull
and machinery according TO the depart
ment's designs were Cramps a Sons, Phil
sdelphia, sl,6ltOO0; the Juitard Iron
Works, New York, 81, $50. 900; Union Iron
Works, San Francisco, sl,62s,95O. No
award has yet been made.
Great interest was felt at the navy de-
partment In the opening Of the bids, and IL
was concluded generally that the figures
proposed by the lowest, 81 600, c0nsii-
tuted q fair price for the work. The
clOseness Of the bidding was remarkable.
There are many features OF interest about
the new craft. Tn one connected with the
boilers has apparently given much trouble
10 the bidders, and may influence the
award OF the contract. The specifications
provide for two ordinary return tubular
marine boilers, Of l,5OO hoise power, but
the remainder Of the g, 400 horse power re-
Qured Is 10 be supplied by coil boilers.
These have been tried with great
success on yachts and in modified
form by the French government but their
use in naval vessels will be largely expert
mental. II they come up to the expects.
tiOns they will result in large saving OF
space and weight, but at least one bidder
Cramp-does not feel confident Of the re-
suits, for he proposed to-day 10 enlarge the
two tu bular boilers and In consideration Of
this departure from the designs 10 waive
all claim 10 any bonus for horse power In
excess Of 5,400. The next lowest bidder,
the Union Iron Works, agreed to accept
the Departments plans and guarantee n
suits. The new vessel will be adeparture
In design from any vessel In the
navy and Capt lIichborn, who is
acting as chief OF the bureau Of coDstruc-
ton, is confident she will be the most for.
midable vessel for her displacement Of any
In the world and able 10 cope with anything
af0at. She apprOxima rates the Monitor type
Of 5000 tons displacement in cruising trim.
When she goes into action, by taking on
water ballast she sinks until her deck Is but
eighteen inches above the water level, thus
diminishing the size OF the target exposed
10 an opponent. The sides covering her
machinery are to be covered with
eighteen inches OF armor, besides the
protection afforded by the c0ab bankers
The baTbettes containing the guns are t0
be Of rs inch steel and the deck will be Of
steel, two inches thick. She will have a
speed oi sixteen knots At this speed she
can steam 632 miles, but at the ordinary
cruising speed, about nine knots. she
would travel 2, ,722 miles without renewing
her coal supply. But the remarkable fea.
ture will be the tremendous power of her
armament. In the forward barbettes,
mounted ON a turntable and manipula.
ted by hydraulic power, she will
carry a sixteen.inch rifle, weighing ITO tons
and forty-nine feet long, one of the largest
guns afloat. In the rear barbette there
will be twelve inch rifle, weighing forty
six and half tons. A ffteen-iDch dyna-
mite gun, fifty feet long. will project from
the bow. The vessel will also carry sly
thirty y-three-pounders, three nine-pounders,
two six-pounders and four three FOUNDERS,
all revolving cannons and rapid firing
machine guns. Electric search lights on
a hollow steel military mast Will complete
years 20 build