The sun., 1890-06-10
THE NEW WAR sBIPa
TIE e.lOO.ton Cruiser, the B,So0-ton Yes.
sci. and tho Practice Graft.


sci. and tho Practice CrRrt.
WASHINGTON. June 9.-To- morrow bids will
be opened ut the Navy Department for the
construction OF three new vessels One Is tho
s.lOO-ton armor-p protected cruiser, another Is
the 5,50O-ton cruiser the third is practice
vessel OF 500 tons for the Naval Academy. Bids
for the two former are hoped for from Cramp ~
Sons OF Philadelphia, the Quintard Iron Works
OF New York, and the Union and the Risdon
Iron Works OF san francisco. These four firms,
at all events, have called for and received cop
les OF the specifications. For the practice YES
sci Congressman Wheeler. who Is shipbuilder
Of Bay City, Michigan, and q member OF
the House Naval Committee, has asked speci-
flcRtons. The bids on all the vessels may be
made either according to the departments
plans for hull dnd machinery or according to
plans submitted by the contractor. The prnc-
tice vessel is to be COMPLETED In two years
from the date OF the cont act. and the others In
two aud q half years. The first proposal al
lowed three years on tho Rrmored cruiser.
which did not seem a needlessly liberal limit
in view Of the experience OF the Maine and the
Texas. But Secretary Tracy. having In mind
the type of vessel called Tor. found he could re-
duce the time to two and half years. which.
supposinR all the preiminaries to be arranged
by July L. would require the completion OF the
vessel oS oah l. Ao'o' anu eo otinE ~ "i'nin hiS
term OF Office
The practice vessel. which in displacement
is midway between tho Petrol and the Vesu-
vius Is to be built OF steel, and to be guaran-
teed to make an average OF twelve knots an
hour for four consecutive hours. while for each
quarter knot OF excess or deficit premium or
penalty OF 5000 Is fixed, failure to reach
eleven knots will make the vessel liable to re-
lection. Her battery Is not quito determined
on. but it is likely to consist OF either two
OF iour nlEn-power Euus vi eiA-ihen' n'e
inch. or four-inch calibre. with secondary
battery Of rapid-nre and machine guns.
wbothar to-norro,,o hido will ipo,uda ono
"ne'ner to-lnorro" oius wiz inoiuue ohe
or more for the practice vessel IL point OF
great interest at the Naval Academy, since
the need ~ n modern craft for tbis
nurnose @ % nc n suhs,ituts for tho old wyomina,
is very great. When oilers Tor constructing
the practice vessel were called for under the
ceved was that OF the Samuel L. Moore
4 Sons Company OF Elizabeth and al
well within the statute appropriation
OF $260;oOo; 1t was wlthdraWn py permls.
R WRether ine The sD rm % had the the APPLIANCES apple ready
for tinishingit within the contract time. There
Is probably no very great induS,e,mends cement to con-
struct this vessel at the price allowed. 30 tnat
to a second postponement.
ses. which were also authorized by the aot Of
Sept. I. 1888, and have been subjected to
various delays, so that ships subsequently
authorized have been already contracted for
and are building. Both OF these vessels have
had their displscements Increased above what
was originally contemplated but It IS believed
that they can be constructed for the amounts
Appropriated by Congress. The 5.300-ton
cruiser was increased to $500 tons. and A the
appropriation for tie former was $1.s00000.
and for tho latter $3,5000JO. For each the
great speed of twenty knots Is exacted, with
the stimulus OF premium OF $5O,OOO for
every quarter knot in excess OF that speed