The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01
BIDS ON THE BATTLESHIPS.
THE NEWPORT NEWS COMPANY
PUTS IN THE LOWEST.

The COmpany's Figures About $780,
900 Lower on Each Vessel Than
Those of the Next Lowest Bid-The
Union Iron Works of san Fran
cisco Not Apt To Get the BuiIding of
Amy OF the ships.
Washington, Nov. SO-Bids for con
structing batueships five and six, author
lied by the last congress, one Of which is to
called the Kearsarge were opened at the
navy department to-day. Six bids were sub
mitted by three bidders. William Cramp
& Sons of Philadelphia, the Union Works
of San Francisco, and the Newport News
snip building and Dry Dock Company of
Newport News, Va.
" hen the bids Were opened there were
some very surprising features. These We're
the very low bids submitted by the New
port News company and the offer Of
Cramps to construct the armor guns and
protective features Of the batteships,
work heretofore and at present done by
the government, but the Cramps
company went even further than
this, and not only offered to
build the two vessels for the sum of S.
O0O,OJO price estimated TO cover the cost
OF thelr construction and armament by
the government, but included within this
amount another vessel without armament.
The offer to build three vessels where two
only We're appropriated for is unique in
The Cramps Company submitted
three classes of bids. the I'm
ion Works, two classes, and the Newport
News Company, one class. The Newport
News Company submitted the lowest bid
for constructing the vessels on the plans
proposed by the navy department In this
class the bids submitted were: Newport
News Company, for constructing one Of
the vessels s., 800 600, for constructing both
vessels, S2,15O,000 EACH Union Works, for
one vessel, 2,740000, for both vessels, 81
10000 each; Cramp & Sons, for one vessel,
$3.50, 900; for both vessels, 81, 10000 each.
On the plans prepared by the bidders,
Cramp & Sons offered to build one battle
ship for 81, 100000 or 81 10000 each for both;
and in the same class-plans prepared by
themselves
The Union Works offered to build one
vessel for $2,65000O or 81, 900 each for
both The other bids submitted were by
the Cramps only, based on plans pre-
pared by themselves and containing the
special features mentioned with reference
to the armament These bids were:
For three battleships, 100000, including
hull and armor for two ships; two Ves-
sells for $3,SJ00OO each, including hun,
armor and gun protection; one vessel for
$3.50. 600, or both for S2450,0OO each.
Secretary Herbert, Engineer-n-chief
Melville, Chief Constructor Hichborn,
Charles Cramp, w. NJ. Scott of the Union
Iron Works. Gen. Hyde, president Of the
the Crescent Shipbuildng Works, Camden,
n. J., and others were present at the
opening of the bids.
IL IS regarded as femarhaDle Dy udNdl
officers that the lowest bid for the new
battleships should have come from the
Newport News Shipbuiding CompanY-and,
no doubt is expressed that the Kearsarge
and perhaps her sister armor-clad Will be
awarded to that company, which is large
ly owned by Coils +. Huntington. This
company, which is less than ten years or
age, has already built three cruisers for
the government, as well as a large num-
Der of steel merchant vessels, and it is
regarded by experts as the most modern
and best-equipped plant in the world
President c. p. Orcutt of the company
who attended the opening of the bids to-
day, is confident that the award will be
made to him, as his figures are each $780,
900 less than the heaviest competitor. the
Union Iron Works of San Francisco. In
his opinion the provision of congress that
one of the vessels should be built on the
Pacific coast, if 1t could be done reason
ably, will count for nothing, as congress,
he says, certainly did not intend to give
a bonus of $500, 600 or $4,000. Mr.. Orcutt
says the Newport News company was
enabled to bid so low for these ships, be-
cause the facilities of his yard enable
good work to be done cheaper there than
elsewhere. and that it is the only yard
in the country where battleships can be
dOcked.