Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-22
BATH TORPEDO BOAT BIDS.
How General Hyde Is Able 10 Guarantee Fast.
est Boats in Country.


l.; story of Yankee enterprise in the
bids for torpedo boats, which have
been submitted to the navy depart
ment by Gen. T. w. Hyde of the Bath
Iron Works. Whether the Bath Iron
Works secures the construction of
some of the boats or not, and the pros
poets are the brightest that part of
their bids will be accepted the story
is one in which people who take pride
in Maine. will be interested
General Hyde said that he had been
working on the plans and form of his
bids for six months, having gone
abroad twice for the purpose. He does
not think there would be much profit
to him in the construction of any of
the boats for which he has bid, but if
any contracts are awarded him he is
confident that the Bath Iron Works
and Maine will have acquired a repu-
tation for being able to build the fast
ast war craft yet constructed
Bidders for the torpedo boats think
that the department is prejudiced in
favor of the Herreshoff Manufacturing
Co. of Bristol, r.. l., and, even If other
things were equal. that that company
would be awarded contracts. Gen
Hyde's idea has been to secure the
construction of 30-knot boats and his
bids were for two at 1874 900 each, the
boats being of 1f1 tons displacement
n $lS9, 900 each for three There was
also a bid by the Bath Iron Works for
-wo 230-ton boats of 50 knots at S235,-
400 each. But special contract in the
lids, to which Gen. Hyde calls special
attention, is his guarantee to attain
/ speed Of 30la knots under a penalty
If $1,000 per knot deficiency.
If Gen. Hyde fails to secure the con-
'truction Of some of the 0-knot boats.
he believes the department will be
compelled to award him some of the
smaller boats. There is a provision in
he act of Congress authorizing the
.orpedo boats that contracts must be
given with view to the highest speed
ittainments. The 221a- knot boats they
guarantee to build to sail % knots, and
he 20-knot boats to sail 211s knots
For 2212 knot boat they ask SIS 900,
'uilt on their own plans. or $50, 900 each
or three. For 25-knot boats they ask
il3l 900 for one built on their own
,lans. and Sl23500 each for three. An
)ther advantage offered in the bids
rom the Bath Iron Works is hull of
Hyde bronze at an advance of from
10000 to $4,000 for each boat. which
would avoid the difficulty of docking
he boat from time to time to clear it
rom accretons.
General Hyde has been able to guar
,ntee such great speed for torpedo
coats only after long consIIIta tiop wit II
eading builders in this country and in
England. He has in his service Prof
J. II. Biles of Glasgow. Scotland. pro-
essor of naval architecture in the uni
fersity of that city, and one of the
eading authorities in naval construc-
ion in Europe
Professor Biles was formerly in the
'mploy of the British government. He
has been in Washington for several
lays and with General Hyde is watch
ng the outcome of the bids. He has
tudied speed attainments in war craft
extensively, and especially in English
>attleships, which. as a class, are from
me to two knots faster than American
pattleships, and English torpedo boat
lestroyers, which are now building in
england and are expected to exceed a
;peed of 80 knots Prof Biles has also
been practically connected with the
development of high speed in passen-
ger ships
General Hyde expects to return to
Bath within a few days and after a
orief visit there. will come back to
Washington to await the awarding of
he contracts.