The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-12
Tho Winnings OF Our Fast Cruisers.

Tho Winnings OF Our Fast Cruisers.
| The accounts OF the Government with
| the shipbuiders are never closed on the
| exact footing OF the figures expressed in
| the contracts To begin with. there are
alterations called for in the vessels by the
Navy Department. which vary the stipu-
lated price. Then there are the premiums
and penalties for excuses or deficiencies
in the guaranteed speed or horse power.
In these the balance Of account Is heavily
against the Government, which Is. how
ever. better content to have 1t so than
the other way. the money laid out
for increased speed being worth far
more to the country than any that Is
saved by an inferior performance. Finally.
there are the time penalties for any delay
in finishing the vessels beyond the time
specified in the contract. These the Gov
eminent wins every time. but 1t does not
fully exact them. 1t makes a liberal
allowance for causes Of delay not attrib-
utable to the builder. but even then there
Is invariably a time penalty due.
The five speed trials OF the present month
are likely to cost the Government between
100000 and 100000 In premiums. II 1t
could compromise on $500. 900 for the lot 1t
would save money. The Columbia alone is
expected to win at least 100000. and will
only have to show knot above the con-
tract to get 1t. knot and quarter will
earn S25O.000. The Detroit won S150.O0O in
premiums. and her two sister ships.
the Montgomery and the Marblehead.
are expected to do as WELL making $500. 900
for the pair. Indeed the Detroit was only
about one-twenty- OF a knot short of
earning 175.00O. so that her mates. built on
the same model. may get Ss5O.oOO between
them. The Olympia. on the Pacific coast.
confidently counts on big premium. and
the Castine has already beaten the pre-
liminary trip Of the Machias. her sister
ship. which was premium winner.
From the first the Government has been
hit heavily in premiums for its steel ships.
In earlier years. when horse power was paid
for instead OF speed. the Yorktown. at 500
per unit OF excess. earned $50. 1926. while the
Baltimore gained what was then considered
the magnificent sum OF $106. Al 80 by an
excess Of 1064.418 horse power. The Newark,
on a similar reckoning. earned S36.s57.7O
as her premium. The Philadelphia was
built on the speed basis. under guar
antee of 10 knots. with an allowance
Va Soosouo Aoh ONOty oubiIlOhoi dudi Icl' duu
made 1868 on her trial trip. thus re-
ceiving 100000 extra. the Government
not allowing premiums or exacting penal
ties for fractions of a quarter knot. The
San Francisco. on the Pacific coast was an
other great premium winner The gunboat
Concord earned only S453 premium. her
horse power in excess Of the contract being
but 4.53; but her sister ship. the Benning-
ton. had an excess Of SC horse power and 80
earned about So. 800. The New York, on an
allowance OF $4,000 per quarter knot,
made 100000 extra. The Detroit. with
$4,000 per quarter knot. made six and
nearly seven additional quarters. as has
been said. and earned $150.0OO. Other vessels
have had their share OF the prizes that re-
ward good speed and engine power.
On the other hand. there are penalties for
shortcomings exactly equal to the premi-
ums offered. Thus the Charleston. which
was guaranteed to produce 1000 horse pow
er. reached only 1865. so mourning loss. at
500 per unit. Of nearly 1884 The little
Petrol fell short in like manner Of her con
tract speed. The Monterey ia still another
vessel that did not reach her guaranteed
horse power. and the loss was over SS2. 800
to the builders. But Congress remitted the
Charlestons penalty. as there was some
thing misleading in the plans and informa-
ton procured from England for her build
ers to work from; and it also came to the
relief Of the builders Of the Petrol.
The time penalties afford n considerable
source Of Offset for the Governments out
goes in premiums. and can easily be borne
where a heavy speed bonus Is secured. In
the case of the Concord and Bennington,
however. the small premiums were more
than wiped out by the time penalties.
The system OF speed premiums is good
one all around 1t stimulates builders to
their best work. and under it ships are pro-
duced that have no superiors the world
over II a million dollars were paid In pre-
miums for this months trials. the country
would be the gamer.