Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-02
Her Figure for an EiGhteen-KnOt Ship
The Lowest Made.
HER DESIGN AN ORIGINAL ONE
1t is Suggested That IL May Not
Prove Satisfactory to the Depart
ment-Cramps May lie Given Two
ships-One VIII Go TO Pacific Coast.

WASHINGTON, September 1.-The re-
suit of the bidding for the construction of
the three big battleships authorized by
Congress is eminently satisfactory to the
Navy Department. From the face of the
bids, 1t is claimed that the government is
going to secure very much more in the
matter of power and speed than was ex-
pected; that the cost is going to be less
than was paid proportionately for the IL
lnois class, and finally that the depart
ment will be able to distribute the work
among three big ship.buildng concerns, a
method of construction that always re-
bounds TO the advantage of the govern
ment.
The bids were opened shortly after noon,
In the presence of a number of representa-
tives of ship-building concerns, depart
ment officials, and other men connected
with the department.
The bids were made In three classes,
the first being under the plans prepared
by the Navy Department, calling for ships
of about 1880 tons. with a speed OF l6
knots. The other classes were under plans
prepared by the bidders themselves, in
some cases on additional plans prepared
by the Engineering Bureau, but not in
cluded in the original specifications sent
out TO bidders. The bids were opened in
the following order:
THE BIDS
]. II. Dialogue & Co., Of Camden. ~ j.
one ship in thirty-three months, under
Class 1. for the sum of $2,Si0,0oO
Newport News Ship-Building Company
One ship. under Glass /. in thirty-one
months. for the sum Of S2,5SoOOo; one ship,
under Class 2, with q speed Of Il knots, in
thirty-two months, S26SO00O; one ship OF
about $50 tons. with speed of Is knots,
in thirty-two months. for the sum of 81
5000.
William Crami Ship-Building Company,
Of Phladelphia-One ship, under Class l,
i'm twenty-nine months. for &,e50O0o; two
ships Of the same class, $2,2Gj,OOo each; one
shin. under Class 2, with a speed Of II
knots with n tonnage of 1l,5oO, in thirty
two months. for s. 72J 900, or two OF the
same. for s., 10000 each; one ship OF 12.l5O
tons and a speed of Is knots in thirty
two months for s., $50 900, or two Of the
same for s., $1,000 each.
Union Iron-Works. San F'ranclsco-One
ship. under Glass l, for N,GtOVl, In thlrty-
one months: one ship, under Class :. win
a speed of Il knots, for S272j,0O in thirty
one months; one 120c0-ton, lS-knot ship, IN
thirty-three months. for S2&9,OOO
PRICES LESS THAN FOR ILLINOIS.
4 careful examination of these bids
shows that the prices asked for the yes
sells planned on the department designs
average slightly less than the price TO be
maid for the Illinois class, although these
ships are improvements in some re
speets. and it also appears that the bids
are not only within the limit or the cost
fixed by Congress, even where the builders
propose TO make them of is knots speed,
but are better ships than are called for by
the department.
1t is expected that the only bids con-
sidered therefore. will be for the IS
knot ships. In this case, the Newport
News company is the lowest bidder, but
lids for only one ship. The highest is the
Union Iron-Works, but the act Of Con
gress allows the department to make an
allowance Of not 20 exceed 4 per cent.
in favor of Pacfic-Coast bidders, so that
brings their bids within line. Cramp
comes in between them, and, conse-
auently. the three ships are likely to be
distributed geographically in that order.
In the case of the 1S-knot ships, both
Cramp and the Union Iron-Works sub
mitted similar plans. these beiEg pracu-
cally the departments plans, heightened
about sixteen feet in order to get In the
extra horsepower.
NEWPORT NEWS DESIGN.
The Newport News design for the Is
knot vessel is original with them. If II
should not be satisfactory to the de-
nartment. then Cramp would probably
get two OF the ships. The bids have been
taLen under adyisement by Acting Secre-
tary Allen