The evening times., 1898-06-30
BIDS FOR THE MONITORS
Four Fighting Craft to Be Added
to the Navy.
WILL CARRY 12-INCH GUNS
The ships VIII Have q Normal Dis
placement of 2.7OO Tons. and Are
Expected to Have n speed of Not
Less Than Twelve Knots nm Hour.
Two Years for Completion.

Bids on contracts for the construction
of four formidable harbor defense moni-
tors were invited by the Navy Depart
ment today. The bids will be opened on
October /. Defensive and offensive YES
sells are to be built. Bidders will be al
lowed to submit proposals on designs
prepared by themselves and by the de-
partment. These will be the general
characteristics of the vessels:
Length of load water line 225 feet; ex-
treme breadth. 80 feet: mean draught.
about 1-2 feet: normal displacement.
about 2.700 tons: total coal capacity. loose
stowage. 200 tons. The hull is to be of
steel. not sheathed. with double bottom.
and close water tight subdivisions. One
military mast is to be fitted with fighting
and searchlight tops.
The boats are to be slowed clear of the
blast of the guns. and two lifeboats are
TO be so carried as to be quickly lowered
The protection of the hull against in
jury to the water line region is to be
afforded by means OF side armor belt
of a maximum thickness of eleven inches
and mean depth of of five feet.
Throughout the length of the vessel the
belt is to extend. and to maintain the
maximum thickness abreast the engine
boiler spaces. from thence forward and
aft 1t may be tapered gradually to a uni
form thickness of five inches The bar
bettes for the l2-inch guns will have ar
NOR II inches thick. Z
Turrets are to be of the balanced type.
with front plate inclined forty-two de-
grees from the vertical The turret arnor
is 10 be 10 inches thick protective
deck is to extend throughout the length
of the vessel The total thickness will be
not less than II Il inches. A coming tow
er of l-2 inches in thickness having an
armored communication tube not less
than three inches in thickness will be car
ried in suitable commanding position
forward
Twin screws will drive each vessel. Two
engines are to be OF the vertical triple ex-
pansion type, in one water-tisht COM
partment- Tine four boilers are 10 be Of
the water-tube type, constructed for a
working pressure of 80 pounds. and are TO
be placed in one water-tiGht compartment.
In the battery there Will be two Pinch
breechl Sading guns. mounted in an ar
mored ,sirbette turret on the midship line
forward: four finch rapid-fre guns. in
broadside on the superstructure deck.
ana q StCClluaTy battery VI seven Etpl1-
fire guns.
Electrical turning gear is required in
the turrets. TO be furnished and installed
complete by the contractors The turret
ammunition hoists. eleyating gear and
hammers will be operated by electricity.
II on trial the average speed shall equal
or exceed q spssd at sea Of twelve knots
an hour for two consecutive hours the
vessels will be accepted. SO far as speed
is concerned. If the speed falls below
twelve knots and exceeds eleven knots
an hour the vessel will be accepted at a
reduced price. the reduction being at the
rate of 5000 a quarter knot deficiency
of speed from twelve knots to eleven and
one-half knots. and at the rate Of SO 00)
a quarter knot deficiency of speed below
eleven and one-half knots to eleven knots.
II the speed falls below eleven knots an
hour the vessel may. in the discretion OF
the Secretary of the Navy. be rejected.
or accepted at a reduced price. to be
agreed upon between the Secretary and
the contractors.
No bid will be considered which names
a time greater than twenty-seven months
for completion of the vessels.