New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-01

''These bids are very much lower than any ever
heretofore received by the Government but before
accepting any Of them the Department Is having
all the plans examined by second board. This
board is expected to report during the coming
week. and the contracts will probably be awarded
before Congress convenes.
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS.
"The difficulty experienced until recently In pro-
curing armOr has says tho report, caused long
and unlooked-for delays In the construction oil
armored vessels. When new industries are IN
augurated time Is required to perfect plants ana
these cannot be operated successfully without
experience Our armor-makers have encountered
even greater difficulties than they anticipated.
but these difficulties have all been overcome. ana
deliveries of armor are now being made with satis-
factory rapidity. Surveying the whole HELD we ma
much TO be proud of in the knowledg" that We
can furnish the material for, and build, nodeTh
shps O. war as quickly. and. without any doubt
as well az any country In the world feel confident
that some Of shpyards rival The best IN Eu-
rope"
The progress OF development In The construction
Of the vessels OF the Navy hereoore authorized
is thus shown to be 40 well advanced as TO make
possible to give definite idea OF the cost TO the
Government in consequence of which the Secretary
submits tables OF details OF cost Of completed and
uncoupleted vessels Of the Navy up to the be-
ginning of the present fiscal year The first table
gives details concerning the Chicago Atlanta. bos-
ton Dolphin Newark Charleston. YORKTOWN Petreh
Baltimore. vesuvus. Cushing Philadelphia. san
Francisco Concord. Bennington, Miantononoh'
Monterey New York. Detroit. Machias. Castine
bancroft an tugboa,s Wahneta. Iwana and Mar
keeta The total cost OF construction OF these
twentvye vessels $i9 S i59 35: OF their arfna-
ment $4,000 Is: OF their steam engineering ana
other outfits 81 4Ss, 0i5 81; and OF premiums PAID
S.S 81: a grand total Of S25,WO4S2 T. or almost
exact,y q go 5000 each. There has been expended
for repairs since completion the of s9lo.cos s.
A second table gives details largely estimated
concerning the yet unfinished vessels: Maine
Texas. Olympia Cincinnati. Raleigh. Montgomery.
Marb.ehead. Katahdn, Indiana, Massachuseus
Oregon Columbia, Ericsson. torpedo No. ?
Minneapolis Puritan. Monadnock. Amphitrite Ter
ror Iowa Brooklyn. Gunboat No. l. Gunbodt No
or the ashamed three the contracts are not YET
awarded tDon these vessels the expenditure ior
con truction is given Sy36lS07l s. ana Tor arna
ment in process Of manufacture, *},wI'sS'' a to'ai
OF $s6.10 LOS Co.
ORDNANCE.
THE production OF modern hish-power guns
at the Washington factory Is progressing salts
factorily The gun plant at this establishment Is
not surpassed by any In the world. and increased
experience has resulted during the last year In st
greater economy In all branches OF manufacture
Up to the present time there have been completed
for service 237 guns. ranging In canbre from 4
inch TO I3-inch, all OF which have not only
proved successful upon trial. but have also given
results which show conclasvcly that The general
system OF construction employed has no superior
In foreign countries =,
For the new vessels thus far authorized main
battery guns will be required as follows.