Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-23
WAR SHIPS.
Contractors VIII Not Build Them for the
Approximations,

\
Appropriations.
| WASHINGTON, August 22d.-The Acting
! Secretary of the Navy to.day opened pro-
| posals for constructing five steel cruisers,
| three to be about 20o0 tons and two TO be
! of 5000 tons displacement Each of the
| two classes of vessels are to cost 500, 600
| and 81 100000 respectively, and be COM
pleted within Two years.
| The bids were opened in the presence of
| Acting Secretary Walker, Judge Advocate
| General OF the Army, Chief Engineer Mel
vile and Naval Constructor Hichborn, the
| last named officer having been largely in
| strumentali in having the new vessels built.
Among the ship-building firms repre-
\ sented by officers or agents at the opening
| were the following: Harlan G. Hollines.
! worth Company, Wilmington; Quintard
Iron Works, New York; Union Iron
| Works, San Francisco, and the Atlantic
| Works, South Boston.
| The bids were as follows: The Bath
| Iron Works of Maine propose to build
| three 2,000-ton vessels for $7S0,0O0 each,
but in addition ask six months to the ad-
vertised time two years..
Cramp g. Son of Philadelphia proposes
to build the same vessels at 1915, 600 each.
The same firm offered to build two OO0-
ton vessels at ST. .225, 900 each.
The result of the bidding was a dissp-
pointment TO the naval officers, as the ap-
preparation is limited by Act of Congress to
$4,000 each in case of the 1000 ton YES.
sells, and 81 100, 600 for each of the 3,OO0-ton
vessels.
OF course none of the bids can be ac-
cepted.
The next move will be to readvertise, but
not much confidence is felt in the result,
and it is probable that, as in the case of the
cruiser Newark, Congress will be asked to
increase the limit of the cost of the vessels.
Still another course open to the Secretary
is to build the vessels at the navy-yards.
Naval Constructor Hichborn, who is
acting as Chief of the Construction Corps
regards the failure to secure suitable bids
as an indication that contractors are profit
ing by their experience, and calls attention
! to the fact that nearly all of the vessels now
building are under heavy penalties for de-
laying their construction.
He says the Navy Department was not
consulted by Congress when the appropria-
tions were made for the vessels. The
committee prescribed not only the cost, but
the speed, or se-power, and tonnage Of
all the ships.
To realize the conditions the officers of
| the department have been compelled to
draw up plans for vessels which could not
be built for the money appropriated, as
work OF nigh grade was required and it
was expected that our naval vessels would
be the best of their type in the world.
He did not think the ships could be con-
structed at the navy yards (which sre
slready crowded with work. at the prices
| fixed by Congress.
| Engineering experts believe the reason
for the advance of the figures of the bids is
/, to be found in the severe requirements in
! the matter of speed and horse power.
/ The Yorktown approximstes in size
and characteristics the 2000-ton cruiser
! bid upon to-day.
| She is of 100 tens displacement and
| the contractor agreed to give her 3 600
horse power. The vessel to be furnished
/ at 1856, 600.
/ This is little more than one half of the
average bid received to-day, but the new
/ vessels are required to have 5. 400 horse
/! power, with eighteen knots speed; and so,
! in point of size, the Atlanta and Boston
are of about the same tonnage as the $780,
I ton vessels, but while they cost only $617,- :
and S6l9,e00, they had but $3.50 hurse-
power, and were designed for eighteen
knots speed, while these new vessels must
have 10000 horsepower and nineteen
knots speed.
| This means more compact, improved and
costly machinery and heavier hull, the
construction of which, taken in connection
with the severe restrictions upon the use Of
steel aud other material, justify ship
builders in increasing their prices.