Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-21
A MERRY WAR OF CONTRACTORS.
Efforts to Secure the Awards for Building
Two New Battle ships.

Efforts to Secure the Awards for Building
Two New Battle ships.
A battle is being waged in this city over bat
tie ships. That is to say, two of the largest
ship building firms in the country are engaged
in merry war to secure contracts for the con-
struction Of the battle ship Iowa and the
armored cruiser Brooklyn. Bids for this work
were opened at the Navy Department last
Thursday and the lowest bid on both vessels, as
stated in THE STAR Of that date, was made by
Cramp q Sons of Philadelphia and the next
lowest by the Union iron works of San Fran
cisco. The bid of the latter was s64. 900 higher
on the cruiser and $4,000 higher on the bat
tie ship than the bids put in by the Cramps, but
the contention is strongly urged that
the contract for one Of the vessels
under the supposed intention Of Congress that
at least one of them should be built on the Pa
cific coast Mr.. Scott, president of the COM
pany, spends considerable time at the Navy
Department to secure this end and the Cramps
are leaving no influence untried to reap the
full benefits of their alleged more advantageous
offer. Their side of the controversy, which in
wolves nearly S6,0OO000, Is clearly presented
by Mr.. Charles II. Cramp, president of the
company, who. when informed that it was
rumored that the Union iron works was to get
the contract for one of the vessels said
81 do not attach any importance to such
rumors. do not see how they can be true.
Which of the two ships is to be given TO the
higher bidder? Does any one claim that our
bids, or either OF them, were defective? Even
if one ship could legally be given to the higher
bidder, why should it necessarily go to the
Union iron works? Why should not Newport
News be considered? The latter yard is quite
as well equipped-and in some respects better
.equipped-than the San Francisco yard to ham
die work Of that character. That is a question
which will naturally suggest itself to most men
taking purely business view Of the case. Why
should there be such tender paternalism in that
one direction, to the exclusion of all other new
and developing shipyards? Is the Pacific slope
to be favored section in that industry? New
port News is as much southern yard as the
Union iron works is Pacific yard. If there is
to be sectional favoritism why should the south
not have equal show? The ship-building in
dustry in the south is Of quite as much national
Importance as that of the Pacific and the efforts
of the enterprising men who are developing il
are quite as praiseworthy and as deserving of
promotion as any others.
1.-The advertisement for the new ships" con-
tinued Mr.. Cramp. twas in the usual form I'M
der the general statute without any qualiica-
ton. Everybody supposed that the face value
of the bids would settle the question. The for
mer law which. in the act of 1887 and the act of
$780, authorized the President to give one ship
to the Pacific coast, under certain conditions
was repealed in the act authorizing these two
ships, leaving the matter wholly subject. to the
operation Of those sections of the Revised Stat
utes which govern general contracting between
the government and citizens. The Secretary of
the Navy is one of the best lawyers and jurists
in the country, and it is perfectly certain that
he will not take any course not fully warranted
by law"
No expression Of views can be obtained from
the representative of the Union iron works,
but it is known that he is using his best en-
deavors to secure the contract for one of the
vessels The matter is not likely to be settled
for several days yet. but the present chances
seem to favor the Cramps.