The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-15
ARMOR FOR RUSSIA.
An American Company Ava rded
Cont racts for Two Battieshtps.


Cont racts for Two Battieshtps.
Russia has again turned to the United
States to obtain armor for her naval
ships. The belief of the European naval
nations that American armor is superior
to that manufactured by foreign pro-
cesses is shown by the fact that the gov
eminent of the Car on Saturday last
awarded contracts to the Carnegie Steel
Company for sufficient HarveyiZed nickel
steel armor to complete two battleships
now under construction. The contract
price is $500 per ton.
This is $33.21 ton less than the com
pany received for armor furnished under
its last Russian contract, 5000 more than
this government is allowed to pay for ar
NOR for the battleships Illinois, Alaba-
ma and Wisconsin. and s100 more than
the Senate and House Naval Committees
are now willing to allow for the armor
for these three ships.
Announcement of the awarding of the
contract was received by Lieutenant G.
A. Stone. the c0mpany's agent in this city
who at once communicated the informa-
ton TO the naval attache of the Russian
Legation and to the officials of the Navy
tract closes an interesting competition.
The Russian government advertised
several months ago for bids for complet-
ing the afnor of the Russian battleships
Peresyet and Olysibia.
Bids were received from Vickers' Sons
& Co. English; John Brown & Co, Eng
lish: st. Chamond. French; Lee Creusot,
French: Chatilon, French: Marrell FIRE.
res. French; Krupp. German; Dillinghen,
German; Wilkowitz, Australian; Beth
lehem Iron Company, American; Car
negie Steel Company. American. The
Russian government rejected all the bids
received, on the ground. it is said, they
were too high.
Lieutenant Stones advices were con-
tanned in a brief cable message. so that
he is unable 10 state just how much ar
MOI will be furnished to the two ships
named.
The Peresvet and the Olysibia are first
class battleships. and when completed
Will have a displacement of l2,S40 tons
each. One is expected to be ready for
launching the latter part of this year
and the other i'm 1900.
Russia's determination to return to
Harveyized nickel steel armor after hav-
ing tried armor manufactured by the
krupp process Is complimentary to the
judgment of Captain Charles O'Neil.
chief Of the Ordnance Bureau of the
Navy Department. and other naval ord
nance experts Captain ONeil. before
the Senate Naval Committee last week,
declared his conviction that armor man
ufactured in this country was fully equal
10 the best service armor yet manufac-
tured abroad. and that the krupp pro
cess had not been developed sufficiently
to warrant its consideration i'm connec-
ton with the armor for the battleshps
Illiois. Alabama and Wisconsin.
1t has been reported to the Navy De
partment that Krupp has received a
contract for armor for the Russian bat
tleship Poltava. a vessel of lOs5O tons
displace ment. carrying a 15.7-inch belt
and turrets on 10 inches in thickness.
The price paid for the armor was $3.50
and S542 81 per ton. delivered in st. Pc
tersburg.
The Carnegie Company completed sew
eral months ago the delivery Of armor
for the Russian battleship Rossia. Ii
is understood that the tests which VIII
be applied 10 the armor just contracted
for will be more severe than Were made
i'm the case of the Rossia's armor. The
action of the Russian government in
making a contract for HarveyiZed nickel
steel armor is regarded here as knock
ont blow for krupp armor.