The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-02

lowest It'd OF each Tor any one vsEss!. fol-
loss:
Newport News Va. sasp Baiid-
ing Company :. -. ..+...-....+.. fz-aso 60
CranpS, Philadelphia. Pa. .....- 2ssD.sps
THioa Iron WORKS., San Francisco 2.sI4,tsa
DiaioEic a. Co -..-. -.-.--..-..- Ztsfl.""
The xxuit of the bidding for the con-
struction ~ the three big battieships au-
thor.zed by eongrezs is efninertly Satis-
factory TO the navy department From the
face Of the bids, IL Is clear tina. the gov
eminent is going 10 secure much more In
the matter Of power and spse.a than was
expected; that the cost Is going 10 BE- less
than was paid progortionateiy for the illi-
nois class. and finally that the department
viii be able 10 distribute the work among
! the three big concerns, method OF con-
structi0D that always rebounds TO the adj
vantage OF the government. The BIDS were
opened shortly after noon. in the presence
of a number Of representatives Of shlpb1ld-
Ing concerns. of bureau chiefs and other
men connected with the department. Acting
Secretary Alien sat a, the head Of the
table on which Ihs bids were placed with
Judge Advocate General Lenhe on his left.
/: Engineer In Chief Melville and sshief Con-
structor Hichborn we're seated on the left
with Constructor Taylor and Passed AS
sistant Engineer Mcfarland
Surrounding the table were the represent
tat-yes OF the shirs,nIding concerns, among
chem being President Heary Scott. of tn.
Union Iror Works al San Francisco; Pres
dent circuit, OF the Newport News Ship
building Company; John Dialogue, Of Cam
.den. Measrs. Charles cragnp and Williams,
OF Cramps; Edward Hyde. Of the Bath
xg-.+. M at
Architect C1ieesborough. of the Sparrow
Point works and Constructor Woodward.
from Newper. News
THE b.is were made In three classes. the
first being under the plans prepared ny the
navy department calling for ships Of shout
II go tcns. with spsssd OF sixteen knots.
other oSasses were under plans prepared
4y the builders themselves. in some cases
IN additional plans prepared by the engin-
etging bureau. hat not included In the
original specifications sent out to bidders
The bids were sopened in the following
order:
III Dialogue & Co. Camden n j.. one
ship In thir,y-three months. under class
on. for The sum o. $500 $500. c
One ship under class one: IN th'riy-one
months. fer the sum OF s., $50. 900. One ship
under class TIVE with speed or seventeen
knots. In ihiriy-two m9nths, sss@"@ on.
ship of afsnut 5a.ss0 tops. With a speed OF
eighteen Knots, in thi-ty-two months, for
the sum Of $2.SD.00.
William Cramp Shipbuiding Company.
OF philadelphia ship under class one.
IN twenty whine months. for sz.eae.ts 600: two
ships OF the same class for s2.seo0 each !:
one ship under class two, with speed OF
seventeen knots. In twenty-five months.
with tonnage Of 1t,a,a tons for g., T2o, COS
tr two OF the same for ss,7o1,fsn each. One
chip az -l22,.--o tons. and speed of eighteen
knots. in tbirty-two months. for S2.ssa,eJ
.af h.t
Union irou Works Of San Francisco
One ship under class one. Tor s2.e14."m in
thirty-one months. One ship under class
two. with q speed OF seventeen knots Tor
5.aa. In thirty one months. one ship
OF IL 200 tons. eighteen knot ship in thirty
three months. for &. 500 600
A careful examination OF these bids
shows that the prices asked for the vessels
planned on the department designs average
slightly Tess than the price 10 be paid for
the Illinois class. although the ships are
improvements In some respects. Bur Il also
appears that the bids are within the limit
OF cost fixed by congress where the build
err propose to max. them ships OF eighteen
Knots speed. much better than called for
by, the department.. IL il expected that the
only bids considered therefore viii DC for
the eighteen knet ships. In tins case Tire
Newport News Company h NE loves, bid
der. bsi bids for only one shin. The high
est !s the Union Iron Works. bur the act
of congress makes an allowance Of mo. 10
exceed Ier cent. in favor OF the Pacific
bidders 80 that brings Their bid within
line. Cramps comes In be. ween them ana
consequently the three ships are likely 10
la distributed geographically IN that order
In the case of the eighteen knot ships both
lrargp ant the tnsaa Iron Works sub
mitscd similar plans. The Newport News
hid sor the eighteen Knot vessel is original
with them. II il should nes b. Sa,.xsac-
tory 10 shs dspastossn; then crsnp would
probably get Two u! the ships,
The bids have hvea taken under advise
mcnt by Acting Secretary Alien