Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-11
BIDS ON CRUISERS.
Proposals for Three new
Naval Vessels.
One the Largest Ever Designed
for Our Navy.
Sharp Competition Between the Rival
Ship-Builders.
The Union Iron Works of San Francisco
Likely to be Awarded the
Chief Contracts.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

WASHINGTON, June 10.-Bids for over
$5,OO0,OOO worth of new naval vessels
were opened at the department at noon.
The vessels bid for were of three types
There is considerable excitement about
the contest between the rival ship-build-
ers. The largest of the three vessels, in
fact the largest vessel ever designed for
the United States navy, is known Off
clally as armored cruiser No. 2, popu-
larly as the 8,100-ton vessel. She be-
longs to the class of swift cruisers, and
isvery close to battle ship,in that she is
provided with moderately heavy armor
belt, besides a protective deck. The
armor will be about four inches thick,
and covered by protective deck six
inches thick. She will be armed with
six eight-inch and twelve four-inch
breech-loading rifles. She is to develop
10000 indicated horse power and speed
OF twenty knots. Dimensions: Length,
$50 feet; extreme breadth, GA feet 216
inches; depth in hold, al feet 3 inches.
The other large vessel, designated
cruiser No. 6, to have displacement of
$500 tons, has no armor, but is pro-
vided with protective deck AZ inches
thick. The main batteries consist of
two S-inch and ten finch breech-loading
rifles, and she is to make 20 knots per
hour, with 13. 800 horsepower. Dimen-
sions: Length, $50 feet; extreme
breadth, 81 feet; DEPTH SO feet.
The third vessel is practice cruiser
OF 800 tons, miniature man-of-war. for
training cadets at the naval academy.
1t is generally expected that the builder
who is awarded the contract for this ves-
sci will lose money, as there is Just as
much material to 60 in her as in some of
the larger cruisers.
The appropriation limits for the three
vessels are: Armored cruiser, $780,
900; protected cruiser, 81 ,S00,0 900; prac-
tice ship, $260,000
The bids for the armored cruiser, No.
2, were first considered, as follows: For
the vessel according to the plans and
specifications prepared by the navy de-
partment-Union Iron Works, of San
Francisco, $3.100,000; William Cramp &
Sons, Philadelphia. $780, 900; Risdon
Iron and Locomotive Works, San Fran
cisco, $3,450,000.
The Union Iron Works and Cramp &
Sons also submitted bids for the vessels
according to their own plans and specifi-
cations. The formers bid is $4,000, 900; !;
the latter's 50 ,9S5,O00
The bids for the protective cruiser No.
6, next received, were but two, each from
the Union Iron Works, of San Francisco.
They proposed to construct the vessel
according to the department s plans and
specifications for 81 ,796, 900, or according
to their own plans and specifications for
$1,760,000.
Two bids were received for the prac-
tice vessel, as follows: F. W. Wheeler,
West Bay City, Michigan, $245 900 ;
Samuel L. Moore & Co., Elizabethport
New Jersey, $250,000. These are both in
accordance with the departments plans
There will be no award for several
weeks.
An evening paper says: 1t is under
stood that Secretary Tracy has pecu-
liar fondness for the plans which have
been drawn by the department for the
armored cruiser, which is often called
the secretary's "baby," and the feeling
is that the award will be made on the
departments designs. In this event
Scott's Union Iron Works will undoubt-
edly get the ship. If, however, the
lower bids of the contractors plans
class should prove attractive to the Sec
retary's economical eye, there will be a
sharp strife.
Mr.. Scott submitted huge bundle of
plans and drawings explanatory of his
designs, while the Cramps handed in
single small roll of blue prints. This
popularity of design may have great
weight in the award of the contract.
Surprise is expressed that the Cramps
did not enter into competition for the
5,500-ton vessel.