The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-24
TORPEDO BOATS AND DEsTRoysRs.
Navy Department Opens Bids for Add
tons to Navy.

tons to Navy.
Washington, August 23.-The navy
department opened bids at noon
today for the construction of 16
torpedo boat destroyers and 10 torpedo
boats to cost in the aggregate not exceed
ing So, 900. 600.
representatives of all the great ship
puiIolng nrns We're present when the
Dlds were opened. The bids, plnns. etc,
were piled several feet high. and there
promised to be much delay and confusion.
Inc lTse pld was that of the Bath Iron
WORKS, batn, Me-, for one torpedo boat
speed 2s.o-l0 Knots at Sl6l, 200 or four at
$3.50, 900 each; one destroyer of 20 knots at
S292, 00O, two at SgSl, 600 or three at $780,
QUO. Other bids were Dialogue & Son
Camden, N. j., one torpedo boat DESTROYER
S293, 600 or two at aS5, 900 each. Columbia
Iron Works, Baltimore, Md, one to four
torpedo boats, &c knots at $i6O, 900 each,
also under different plans, one boat sl6S. :
81 81, 900 each; also one destroyer, rs nots.
S2o3, 600, two at 1921, 600, three, four or
five at 2S9, 900 each; also destroyers under
different plans one or two at 1882, 600.
three, four or five at $3.50, 900.
Neafe and Levy, Philadelphia, for de-
stroyers, go knots, two. 1884, 900; three,
$2S3 900 each.
torpedo boats, 26 knots, one at Sl6O, 100;
two at $3.50. 900 each: three, 1922, 100; four
STA, 1850 each; also destroyers, one $275, 900 !;
two $500, 900, three $3.50. 900; four $240, 600;
five S233, ZOO each.
Union Iron Works, San Francisco de-
stroyers 90 knots, one 1924, 900; two or
three, 1886, 900 each; also destroyers under
second class, 1884, 900; two $2s2s00O; three,
1921, 500 each.
Maryland Steel company, Maryland
county, Md, destroyers, two of 80 knots,
se94. 90; three. $3.50, 600; three different
bids 1888, 900; four, $780,, 0O0H each.
Lewis Nixon. Elizabethport, N. j.,
torpedo boats 26 knots, one $l6S, 900; two,
S165, 900.
Harlan, Hollingsworth company. Will
mington, Delaware. destroyers, 20 knots,
one. 1894, 900, two 1891 900.
Richard b. Peyton, Williamsport, Pa,
destroyers 40 knots, one, 1926, 600; four,
1895, 900, also one to four 80 knots $780,
900, also one to four. So knots $275, 600.
Memo Forty knots above is correct.
The bid caused some comment. +.
Gas Engine and Power company, New
York, destroy ers, one 1886, 900; also one
destroyer and one torpedo boat $428, 200
for both or two destroyers and one
uoA pouO pOout PtoO, WV, VI UWO QCSUfOJcI6
and two torpedo boats, $49S, 900; or two
destroyers and three torpedo boats, $685.
900. Ill
Wolff and Zwicker. Portland, Oregon
one torpedo boat. $170, 600; two, Sl65, 600;
three, $l63, 400; four, $Sl2, 500; also de-
stroyers, 80 IA knots, one $3.50, 600; two
1886, 200; three, 1885, 900; three, s2S2, 900;
also destroyers, one, ss95, COO; two, sasl,-
This closed the bids. The naval officials
commented on the absence of the Cramps
firm and the Herreshoffs among the bid
ders.
The bids will be tabulated and the
awards made at the earliest day practi-
cable. These twenty destroyers and
torpedo boats constitute the largest single
addition ever made to the navy. The de.
stroyers are to be completed within
eighteen months and the torpedo boats
within twelve months. According to
the requirements of the department.. the
destroyerS are to have guaranteed speed
of 2S knots and the torpedo boats &c
knots. The destrOyers ara to be about 400
tons and are to cost not more than $780,
900 each, while the torpedo boats are to be
about $50 tons and to cost not more than
$4,000 each. These destroyers will be
the first vessels of that type added to our
navy, except those improvised from
yachts during the recent war exigency,
They are to have twin screws, vertical
engines and bunker capacity for carry
ing at least 100 tons of coal, affording
some protection to engines and boilers.
The vessels will be lighted through out
by electricity. They are to be built
staunch and strong, with good freeboard,
good sea-going qualities, and designed to
operate at high speed in a seaway. The
battery will be composed of seven rapid
firing guns.
The ammunition required will weigh
about seven tons. There will be mounted
on the midship line two twenty foot
torpedo tubes to carry 17sfoot torpedoes. :"
Berthing space will be required to &C.
commodate crew of sixty men and four
officers, and provision space for twenty
days.
The torpedo boats are of much the same
design, but will be smaller. Their coal
capacity will be forty tons against 100 for
the destroyers and their berthing space
for 26 men and three officers. The battery
will be composed of three rapid firing
guns.
There will be mounted on deck three
fifteen foot torpedoe tubes with torpedoes