The herald., 1898-11-16
SINGLE TURRfT SHIPS
ARE NOT THE KIND THAT THE
NAVY NEEDS
REVISED BIDS ARE ASKED FOR
Under Which the New Monitors Will
Become Bigger, Faster and More
Formidable
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK, Nov. ia special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
Secretary Long tomorrow will send letter
to each of the four firms that secured con-
tracts last month to build the single-turret
monitors, asking them to estimate the in
creased cost of improved vessels en- modified
lines just adopted by the Board of Constiuc-
tion at its session. In the mean time, under
directions from the department, work will
not be begun on the Arkansas, the Connect
cut, the Florida and the Wyoming until the
new estimates are received and considered
by the authorities.
Before the contracts for these vessels were
signed, as early as October 4th, the Tribune
called attention to the fact that the aggre
gate of the bids for the four monitors was
only s3,422, 900, leaving surplus of more
than $l,bO0,000 ont of the S5,000,000 appro-
prlated to build irst-class vessels. Figures
prepared by naval experts were presented at
that time, showing it was entirely feasible
by the application of this surplus before the
contracts were made to add another turret
and double the coal supply of these mon-
tors, making them larger and better thun the
Monterey and Monadnock. which had just
been sent across the Pacific to hold Manila,
and to secure vessels os three times the coal
capacity of the Amphitrite, the Miantono-
nah and the Terror, and far superior to them
in formability and value as warships. The
legal authorities of the Navy Department,
however, decided, it later appeared from in
sufficient consideration, that the contracts
must be awarded for the vessels as origi-
nally designed, although a month earlier,
through the efforts of the Tribune, two knots
had been added to the speed of the battle
ships by method identical with that prom
ised for the monitors.
Soon after the contracts were executed the
naval authorities became convinced that it
would be unwise to build the vessels accord
ing to the original plans, and one of the con-
tractors came to Washington and showed
that he could easily increase his vessel to the
dimensions suggested in the Tribune with
out exceeding the original application by
Congress. He proposed simply to lengthen
the vessel and add another turret, reducing
the caiber of the guns from twelve inches to
ten inches. He showed that the new ten
inch rifles, with larger charges of smokeless
powder, would be more powerful than the
twelve-nch guns Of 1890 design, which it had
been proposed to put into the original ves-
sci, and his project met with such favor that
the supposed legal objection to building bet
ter ships with the money in hand quickly dis
appeared. Secretary Long thereupon decided
to delay building these ships and referred
the whole question to the Board of Construc-
ton, at the same time announcing his deter
to build the best ships that could
be secured at all events.
The modified plan adopted by the Board
of Construction calls for vessels of 1000 tons
instead of 2700 tons, with coal capacity of
400 tons, instead of 200 tons, giving range
of action exceeding 1000 knots at a ten-knot
speed, which equals that of the sea-going
battleship Iowa. Two turrets, with twin ten
inch guns replace the single twelve-inch tur-
ret. The original speed of twelve knots is
compelling engines and boilers of
5000 horse power, instead of 240O. The hull
has been materially heightened and broad
ened and the draught has been increased
from II feet inches to IA feet inches. In
the new design the protective deck is 21s
inches thick instead of l1s inches and the
interior bracng of the vessel is made still
heavier and stronger.
The estimated cost of the armor for the
original design was $l3O,OOO. 1t is calculated
that this will be increased to $lS7 900 for the
larger vessel, and this fact, together with the
other added weights which were deemed es-
sential to the improved monitors may COM
pei the department to ask Congress to re-
move the unprecedented restriction which
was made in the appropriations for these
vessels. Up to this time the appropriation
bills for all warships have provided limit
for the hull, engines and boilers exclusively
Of armor and armament, but the act of Nav
I. 1893, providing for four harbor defense
vessels, stipulated that they should "cost
exclusive of armament not exceeding 81, $780,
700 each," although in the same act provision
was made for battleships "to cost, exclusive
Of armor and armament, not exceeding S3,.
BOO. .0O0"
1t is believed that the exception in the
case of the monitors was due to clerical err
ror, but in any event it occurs in the law and
cannot be evaded.
Liz >oh1ioStois ioi tuc lOuT monitors,
with the amount of their bids, are as follows.
The Arkansas, Newport News Company.
$3.50 900; the Connecticut, Bath Iron Works,
$500, 900; the Florida, Lewis Nixon, 1926, 900:
the Wyoming, Union Iron Works, 1876, 200,
A Torpedo Boat Trial
WASHINGTON, Nov. l5.-The navy de.
having been notified by the build
rrs, Wolf L Zwicker, of Portland, Ore, that
the torpedo boat Davis, which sustained an
accident on her last trial trip, has been re-
paired, has reassembled the trial board
headed by Commander Drake, and ordered
another trial, on the Columbia river Tues
day, the 22d instant. The report from the
trial board at San Francisco on the recent
trial for the torpedo boat Farragut shows
that she fell the fraction of a knot below the
speed of thirty knots required. The con.
tractors have asked that the boat be ac.
nepted on the record made, but the depart.
nent finds itself bound by the contract to
refuse, SO the boat must be rejected. or on
lnOthen trial she must mako the b;r+y l.,4