The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-19

WILL 0UTDO THE CUSHING
Plans Completed for the New
Torpedo Boats.
BEST IN THE WORLD
These Little Destroyers Will Be Far
Ahead of Anything Yet Built
Three Firms Asked to Bid.

The Navy Department has just completed
| plans for the torpedo boats authorized DIT
the last session Ut Congress.
The plans were prepared in the Bureau OF
CONSTRUCTION and Repair, under the direc-
ton Ut Chief Naval Constructor Hichborn.
Blue prints are now being mailed To the
fifty-three firms loca ted On the Atlantic and
gulf COASTS, the Mississippi River and the
Pacific slope ~ which were forwarded some
weeks ago the specifications under which
the proposed vessels are to be built.
The new torpedo boats promise to be
the best OF their types in the world. They
Will be an improvement on the Gushing,
the little torpedo boat which has been
doing yeoinan service at the naval station
at Newport in performing experimental
work. According TO the advertisements
which the department has issued, bid
ders will he allowed to submit proposals
under two ciasses-Class on tue plans o.
the depa rtInent, and Class z on plans which
they may submit. 1t is the history of
the new navy, however, tnau tine vessels
constructed have been built on plans
drafted at the department, and the prob
abilities are, therefore, that the Gus
tom VIII not be departed from in this
instance.
MUST MAKE TWENTY KNOTS.
Two types OF torpedo boats are TO be
built. The exac: number, size ana speed OF
these boats were not fixed in the act of
Congress authorizing them. ana the Sec
rotary decided to entertain bids for boats
OF two types. Their total cost, including
ordnance, which will be supplied by the
government, is not to exceed $500, COO.
For Type / bidders will be allowed TO
submit bids under two classes-Class /
for the construction OF the vessels COM
plete in all respects in accordance with
the plans and Specifications prepared by
the department, and Class 2, in accordance
with plans and specifications which they
themselves may submit. 1t is prescribed
Uy s;i..,iri afInAeiia ina these elements ami
qualities must be obtained in the designs
for Type /:
The average speed to be maintained for
two consecutive hours for Type Under
conditions to be prescribed by the secre-
tary OF the Navy, must not be less than
twenty tpusS per hour.
The boats Ire to be built and fitted COM
plete for sea by the contractors. with the
exception OF sea stores and ordnance o1tfit
of all kinds. Here are the general dimen-
sioDs which the boats are TO have:
Length on load line, 105 feet; Team on
load line, IL 1-2 feet: mean draft. 1-2
feet; displacement, 6s tons; indi eat ed
horsepower, $50, and speed per hour,
twenty knots. The armament is to con-
sist OF two siDgle-deck torpedo guns, one
mobile tOrpedoes. and $50 rounds OF one
FOUNDER ammunition.
If on the officiaI trials OF the vessels
their respective average speed shall equal
or exceed twenty knots an hour for two
consecutive hours, they will be accepted, so
far rs the speed is concerned. Should the
speed fall below twenty knots per hour,
and exceeds nineteen knots, the boats will
be accepted at reduced price. the retuc-
ton being at the rate Of lO,0O0 per knot
below twenty knots.
Under Type No 2, bids are invited under
designs TO be submitted by the bidders.
For these boats the average speed to be
maintained for two consecutive hours, under
conditions to be prescribed by the depart
ment must not be less than twenty-five and
ope-half knots per hour.
The boats are to be supplied each with
two coming towers or sighting hoods.
placed in convenient positions. one forward
and the other aft. Accommodations are to
be provided for four commissioned officers
and an adequate crew. The general dimen-
siOns OF these boats, as fixed by the de-
partment, are:
TORPEDO BOAT DEsTRoYERS.
Length on load water line, 140 feet;
beam on load line, 1-2 feet; mean draft,
4 "a feet; displacement, 1O5 tons; indi-
Gated horsepower, LOO, and speed per
hour, % 1-2 knots.
The armament Tor each vessel Is TO con-
sst OF three single-deck torpedo guns,
three one-pounder rapid-firing guns, four
automobile torpedoes and $50 rounds of
one-pounder ammunition.
In case, ON the official trial, the speed of
the vessels should equal or exceed % 1-2
knots per hour for two consecutive hours
the boats will be accepted. Should the
speed fall below 22 LIZ knots and exceed
81 1-2 knots, the boats are to be accepted
at reduced price, the reduction being at
the rate Of SIC, 900 per knot for each knot
below the speed fixed.
In addition to advertising for bids for the
construction of the torpedo boats above de-
scribed, the Department has called for
proposals for the construction of three 80
knot torpedoboat destroyers. Eight hun
dred thousand dollars were appropriated
for building these vessels. No dimensions
are prescribed, but bidders are required to
specify in their proposals the weights and
Dimensions Of hull and machinery, and the
weights of any other material placed on
board. If on trial the average speed of
each boat shall equal or exceed 80 knots
per hour the boats will be accepted, in so
far as the speed is concerned.