New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-02

completed in twenty-nine months; *%'oe"'"V' "
two such ships 600 each: ~ XIV,
Same company; builders modified plan; iV,cov
tons displacement; guaranteed speeu' .i,-.~two
one batleship. to be completed ~ t sn .aon
months SO T25 600; OF TWO at 81 'oOVo eaCh,
same company. builders plan abo9s 100
TONS d,sp,acement. guaranteed speed Is knots
enc battle-shp to be completed IN IN tnir.So
months So ssh 600 or two at S2,o'oooV edon
The Union Iron Works San Francisco; cef,:-
fed check for $4,000 accompanying oiu' &c uo
partmental plans. 1850 tons displacement. one
battle-ship. to be completed In th'rty-ohe
months. Sc674O0O ,,-oo
same company, builders modified plan, iIooo
tons displacement, guaranteed speeu /. ,hroo
one hat' co up o 70 be con'p'e'e' III
h'Snrms oo-,nsny hu,lders. plan 200 tons dis
placement, guaranteed speed II Knots. one pa
tle-ship. TO be completed In thirty-'hfee ''io"'"S
81. SJ9, 900 -, 7 ho,d
John Dialogue e. Sons. Camden, n. j., nonu
for $S0NW accompanying BID. departments
plan one battle-shlp 70 be competed ]" 'N''''
three months $2,SiU.OU.
WHAT CAUSED CHANGE IN THE PLANS
The events which led up TO the victory OF TO-
day may now be told more freely than oelore
the bidders made public their proposals When
Secretary Long issued the circular 10 shlpoui'u-
ers on June : last. much to the surprise VI
every one interested In naval ahalrs 'he De-
partment's plans simply called Tor dupi'ca'es Vi
bat,,e-ships Nos :, o nd o. designed about two
productions Of the Kearsarge and the Kentucky
OF a still earlier date. with a speed OF only SIX
teen knots although the standard speed for
ba.tIe-ships has been for some time past eish-
teen knots. and there are number already built
making q higher speed than that the Italian
Navy Department being about to lay down
three with a speed Of twenty -one knots. II Will
hs reuembered that when The Tribune called
attention TO this apparent lack Of progressive
r.en tho natter was discussed With great VigoT'
and the fact was developed that the Engineer-ln-
Chief OF the Navy, Melville. had submitted
minority report urging that the Board OF Con-
structton be directed to reconsider the matter
and 10 provide plans which would give TO the
United States ships thoroughly Up to date In
every respect, including speed and radius Of ac-
ton.
After a lapse of about a month. during when
the press OF the country demanded that the
ships should be made abreast OF the times 'he
Secretary OF the Navy did refer the matter
back TO the Board OF Construction for recon-
mendation as TO whether II would be aoV'sap'e
10 withdraw the original plans and speo'hca-
lions and provide new ones calling TOT greater
speed After considering the matter ana eA-
aiming a number Of plans submitted by ,'e
Ene,neer-r-Chief which provided for higher
aneed and greater radius OF action. 1t was de-
cided not to provide plans and speciilCd
tions until after the bids received to-day hau
been submitted. in view Of an invitation lon'
the Secretary to the builders OF the country 10
avail themselves Of the alternative Dios "hic"
they could make by submitting propositions for
ships with higher speeds
QUESTION OF wATER-TUBE BOILERS.
The plans submitted by the Engireer-in-ChieI'
while they provided for an increase In speed
and in the radius of action. nevertheless IN
voved a reduction Of the coal supply as there
was decided opposition to increasing the size
Of the ships which would have been necessary
10 give the desired increase Of speed ana radius
of action without any reduction 3. the amount
OF coal carried. His plans secured the heces-
sary increase Of space by reducing that allowed
FOR coal a number Of these plans PROVIDED TOT
the use Of water-tube boilers, but as that would
have caused a change in the trim. unless con-
siderable changes were made In the distriou-
ton of the hull weights these plans were neg
atived at once II IS worth noting in this con-
nection that the first plans for machinery or Inc
new ships also involved the use OF water-tube
boilers. but as these had the same objection or
causing q change of trim. they were also ruled
out on that ground. and the plans which went
out 20 the BUILDERS were for cylindrica. boilers.
1t was. Of course practically certain that If any
OF the builders offered designs Of their own
for greater speed and radius of action. without
any decrease in the amount ct coal carried.
water-tube boilers would be used. and the a.
tentative designs submitted by the Cramps,
which are for vessels that Will he almost dupl.-
Gates OF the Russian ship they are to build. pro-
vide for the use Of Niclausse boilers.
FIRST USED IN BATTLE-SHIPS.
While this will be the first use Of water-tube
boilers IN hattle-shps Of the United States
Navy. 1t is not their first use in artnored
vessel OF the United States Navy. as the Mon
terey has hac water-;ube boilers OF the Ward
type ever since she was built in 1890. They
have given an excellent account Of themselves
In this connection 1t is interesting 20 note tina
when the bids for the Monterey we're received
the Cramps were nomnally the low est bidders
but II was only with certain changes In the
Government specifications. and with the distinct
refusal to guarantee the performance Of the
water-tube boilers. The Union Iron Works. oil
Gan Francisco. which built the Monterey. re-
. ceved the contract, because they were willing
to guarantee the working OF the water-tubs
boilers that this firm really deserves he
credit. far as builders are concerned, 70!
being the first tc install water-tube boilers n ar
armored vessel Of this cOuntrys Navy. Tbs
actual crcdi. for having the boilers put In Che
ship was due to Commodore Melville. who adj
vocatcd this plan. and had experiments made
10 determine the best boiler. ali things con.
s!dercd before II was decided which one should
90 into the Monterey.
LENGTHENING THE VESSELS
The design OF the ships proposed by tn
Cramps Is about n thousand tons larger thar
the original Government plans. and amounts Il
what would have been the case had the hu.l
OF battlc-ships Nos. :. S and been heightened
l6 feet Had this been done there would hav
been no difficulty whatever In putting in ma
-,
eighteen knots or higher and at the same tim
carrying n greater amount Of coal than the De
partmen,s plans did, as they were actually pu
out. Tne Union Iron Works secures elgAteel
knots by !sagthening the hus 20 feet, and put
ting in additional boilers % the water-tuo
type