Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-08-05
PREMIUMS FOR WAR VESSELS.


With the speed test of the Nashville the
asst of the premiums open TO American
Warships has been earned. and It becomes
possible to sum up the results of the sys-
TEN from the start. This has been done by
the New York Sun in an article, from
which we condense the following:
The premium paying began under Secre-
tay Whitney, with awards for horse power
at the rate OF 800 per unit in excess Of the
contract requirements. Under that system
the Yorktown earned S39,S25. the Newark
1851. the Concord $I53. the Bennington
S3,0s, and the Baltimore slOs.42. In all
cases there was a penalty Of 500 per unit
for any shortage in horse power. and under
# the Charleston lost s33.S23, the Monterey
3 .S23. and the Petrol $4S5.
Soon, however, It was determined 70 give
premiums for speed Irrespective Of horse
power. 1t was no satisfaction TO the gov
eminent to know that vessels had a large
indicated horse power without speed, and
II they had speed it made no difference
about the horse power. Under this plan
the Wilmington earned 81. 800. the Bancroft
and the Mschias $4,000 each, the Nashville
t10sooNf III llHlEAd Nt'fffJf III Cdsllllt anu
the Indiana $4,000 each, the Philadelphia,
the San Francisco and the Massachusetts
100000 each, the Marblehead Sis. 900. the
Detroit $4,000. the Oregon 3175,OO0, the New
York and Monterey 500 600 each, the Iowa
F21-,42O. the Olympia $3OO.OO1. the Columbia
and Brooklyn $4,000 each, while the Min
nelpo,is broke al records with earnings Of
Ff14.6o0. Not a single vessel lost anything
on this speed basis. and one vessel, which
On her official trial fell far short Of her
estimated horse power. so that she might
have had TO pay a very heavy penalty on
that basis. really gained a magnificent pre-
MUM for speed.
The highest excesses OF speed" says the
Sun. were those achieved by the smaller
g~unboats, the Castine. for example, making
e62 knots over her guarantee, the Machlas
24G. and the Bancroft 81. Nevertheless.
theirs have been among the smallest speed
premiums paid, since on the smaller YES
sells smaller rates Of premiums were al
lowed. the three mentioned receiving only
$500 for each excess quarter knot. Or the
other hand the Philadelphia and the San
Francisco earned 10000 each for somewhat
bhEl l-uAA {" h-'A ia 'A'FTr VI lNlE CUE-
tracts, because they had the big bonus Of
5000 per Quarter knot. or ten times as
much as the g~unhoats Just spoken or, while
the enormous earnings ~ the Minneapolis,
Columbia, Olympia ana Brooklyn. amount
ing to S.H4.O00 for these three vessels alone,
are accounted for in the same way. A sim
gle firm. the Cramps. Of Philadelphia,
earned the great extra sum Of SlS55.IH.
aever losing a dollar for penalties, either
n speed or horse power"
The total amount paid in the form Of pre-
niums has been S.296626. As a whole if
Iprears 10 have been money well spsnt.
The incentive has undoubtedly urged shin
builders into the study and construction Of
a better class Of vessels. It is altogether
likely. too. that they made their bids lower
In anticipation Of the chance to earn a pre-
MUM. In conclusion Of its article. the Sun
SAYS:
The speed premium system was stopped
after the prodigious winning OF the Min
neapoiis had been recorded. although sub
sisting contracts for premiums were OF