The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-20
THE new BATTLEsHIps
Remarkable Celebrity With Which Contracts
for Construction We're Awarded.
NEWPORT NEWS MUST LOOK OUT.
The Cramps Probably Wanted But
One Ship Ehis Year I'm Order
to Tide Over Hard Times-TEey
May Try Harder TO Get Que or
Boih the Next Ones.

a telegram from Washington, pub
lished In the Vitginian of yesterday, an
nouncing that Secretary Herbert had
wired the Board OF Construction of the
Navy Department 10 close the contracts
with the successful bidders Tor the con-
struction OF the three battle<hlps derel-
ops the remarkable fact that since Con
gress passed the necessary legislation
for the building of the ships ana pppro-
priating the money for the same, to the
final awarding CT the contracts, only
ninety days have elapsed. II took over
one year to accomplish the same work
in the case OF the Kentucky and Kear-
sarge. This remarkable showing is due
entirely to the recent action of Secretary
Herbert transferring the responsibility
for the preliminary work from the Board
of Construction and v.S::ng ii i'll the
chief of the Bureau OF Construction.
The former Board OF Construction was
composed OF the dineren; bu- Eau chiefs.
and It was the old story of many men;
many minds" and too many cooks
spoil the broth" Eacn bureau chief
wanted certain things done according to
his way of thinking. The ordnance
people wanted the batteries OF one sort.
the equipment bureau held out TO. ether
concessions, and the result was that the
work upon the plans for the hulls of the
new men of war was delayed. as, OF
course, nothing could be done toward
planning the hull until the question of
battery and other work OF this sort had
been settled upon Not only did this
cause many months of delay in getting
the plans out, but ii took great deal
OF the time of the Secretary of the
Navy. Just as soon, however, as the
new rule went into effect placing the en-
tire matter in the charge of the Chiet
Naval Constructor. radical change
took place The ordnance bureau rush
ed the preliminary work in regard TO
the batteries. the Secretary made his
decision upon this important question
and the Construction Bureau was ena-
bled 10 begin the work of planning the
hulls for the new ships without any
delay whatever. Instead OF taking
year the contractors Will be in possession
OF the plans for the three new batt!eshlps
in ninety days from the time of the
passage of the necessary appropriation
by Congress. Naval men say that this
record is unequaled sin the history of
naval construction in this or any other
country. and Commodore Hichborn,
chief of the Bureau of CONSTRUCTION, has
received many congratulatory dispatch
es and letters upon the brilliant charac-
Ter of his preliminary work in connec-
Construction will be held responsible
for the new ships until they go into
commission. No change whatever can
be made upon any of them without the
consent of the Chief Constructor. There
is no division of responsibility: If ithe
ships fail, the Chief Constructor will be
held responsible; If they are a success,
he will get the principal credit.
1t is said in Washington that the
successful bidders for the construction
OF the new warships are we'll satisfied
with the awards of the Bureau of Con-
struct!on. Mr.. Charles Cramp. who
was in Washington when the decis ION
was announced Immediately returned to
Philadelphia and made a special effort
to induce the department to give him
the work of constructing two of the
ships. /; is generally thought that Sec
rotary Herbert will ratify the award,
the contracts to the three firms, accord
ing TO the bureau recommendations
This arrangement is said TO be entirely
satisfactory 10 the Cramps-all they want
now is sufficient work TO tide them over
during the present hard times. The
building of a ship at n small profit or at
any profit at all, Is not TO the liking of
the Cramps. 1t is not likely that there
will be very much profit TO the firms al
the figures agreed upon FOR the building
of the Kearsarge and Kentucky, and the
three new vessels. The Newport News
Ship Building Company has got woik
ahead and will be busy for four or five
years. The Cramps will just have work
enough to keep their yard open until
there is return of business prosperity
10 the country, when they will undoubt-
eddy get great deal of special merchant
work TO do. Then ii must be remember
ed that at the last session of Congress
agreed to recommend next year. money
for the building of two additional bat
tleships. The government is not apt to
get new ships built al so low a price as
that agreed upon for the kearsarge and
Kentucky If the buSine SIS of the coun-
try begins 20 prosper again the cost of
material that is required for the build
ing OF vessels will, OF COURSE go up.
and the bidders VIII necessarily have to
increase their bids for work of this class.
While from the foregoing 1t would
seem likely the Cramps will make an
effort to secure one or both of the bat
tleships. contracts for which are TO be
awarded next year. yet Newport News
will also probably bid. and the past sue
cess of this yard In competing with the
Cramps and other big shipbuilding con-
Germs makes it not improbable that the
Philadelphia people may again have to
yield to our nelghbor. the thriving city
on the James.