New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-27
COR FASTER BATTLE-SH1PS.
VIEW SHIPS MUST BE SPEEDY.
srrANING RADIUS OF 5,43o KNOTS is
DEMANDED OTHER IMPROVE
MENTS DISCUSSED.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE rRlBrSr.l

Try rELrGRArH TO THE TRIBrSE.l
washington July 26-Secretary Ions mas
,.,oenized the demand for faster batte-ships'
I'D in n notice to shipbuders this afternoon
;. hos practically put q premium upon the at
",.,,an, Of a higher rate OF speed in the new
,.,,,e-ships than that at first set by the Con-
.,-uctior Board Of tho Navy Department. THIS
..,;on is considered a notable triumph FOR me
rr,,une which FIRST called attention to the fact
,,s, the United States was proposing TO ouild
:. ,o-,or vessels in order to the trouble and
,,o involved In making new and up-to-date
designs. The circular is as follows;
Navy Department.
Washington. July ~, 1913
NOTICE TO SHIPBUlLDERS.
THO DEPARTMENT WILL in awarding contracts
,or the construction Of battle-ships NOS ~ IL
"a 10 under its advertisement or June last,
give preference. other things nelhs equa'. ~
ssrch bids as offer TO guarantee the mshest rate
- eneed and greatest coal endurance. the to.ai
a;ghts Of engines. boilers and COAL ana the
snaces allowed therefor 10 remain as now nAeu
~ The circular defining the chief characters
u ~ said vessels and the Departments plans
80 soecihcations, and the vessels 10 nave a
scanning radius Of not less than o4o% Kho's DIT
:. sDaad of ten fnots an hour.
TOtJI y LONG, Secretary Of the Navy.
Tho Interpretation put upon this notice by the
,.hers 81 the Construction Board is that
x,hruders are encouraged to attempt to de-
49,, ana furnish a higher type Of machinery
-. that already adopted by the members OF
.ho Foard or at any rate to guarantee more
n.,au+ performance of engines and boilers.
co,cdance Is expressed by some Of the members
It., tho vessels as designed. II constructed oy
a-,or vorEmen will easily exceed the hfteen
,ro,s demanded by the departmental specihce-
lions and that only under the most unfavoraoie
o,s,,,ons could the ships fall below that rate
mon trial trips Although the circular IS con-
s,dered a distinct concession TO the hlgh-speeo
advocates. the latter not altogether satie-
fed with its terms. 1t permits no mooinca
ton in the general design OF the Vesseis' anu
particularly specifies that the spaces allowed ioi
engines boilers and coal are to remain as 'hey
,on are This is also the first time any lmita-
tim NJ this character has been fixed by the Navy
nsnsr,n,ent and It will probably necessitate
enoknot voyage by the ships before they can
be paid fo-.
RESTRICTING THE NUMBER OF BIDDERS.
Few bidders. it is thought. will be willing to
guarantee such a performance. II they have 70
wait for their money until such radius is
demonstrated for such long cruises are never
undertaken in the first year OF vessels COM
mission I; Is understood that the SCOTS, OF
San Francisco, will readily undertake 70 guar
antee a speed Of at least seventeen KNOTS pro-
vided they are permitted 10 install system or
forced draught. exclusively controlled by then3'
and no doubt is expressed that the Cramps. as
we'll as the Newport News company ootn OF
whom expect to build at least one of the new
ships will accept Secretary Longs challenge
Under the statutes, the Department is pro-
h,bited from offering any pecuniary premium
for excess speed. but the circular calling Tor
nronosals for these ships contained the follow
ing stipulation:
IF the speed falls below sixteen knots. and
exceeds fifteen knots an hour, the vessel will
be accepted at reduced price. the reduction
being at the rate Of S25, 600 quarter knot de-
hcjency Of speed from sixteen knots TO fifteen
and one-hah knots, and at the rate Of $4,000
a quarter knot deficiency Of speed from fifteen
and one-half knots to fifteen knots
Under these circumstances 1t Is thought that
Secretary Long will be fully warranted in ignor-
ing the lowest bid If it contains no increased
speed guarantee and accepting proposition
$4,000 higher II IT guarantees more than six
teen and one-half knots. and proposition $780,
600 higher II seventeen knots is guaranteed
Under such circumstances II Is believed that
shipbuilders might undertake to furnish eigh-
teen knot battle-ships within the limit OF cos,
fixed by Congress which is 100000 for each
vessel
OTHER DESIRABLE IMPROVEMENTS
To-day's modification in the battle-ship circu-
lar Is however. not considered final While II
countenances a slight increase of speed. the
vessels as designed are still considered dis
tinctly inferior to other ships now being laid