New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02
BIDS FOR MONITORS OPENED.
THE RESULT SATISFACTORY TO THE
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
PROPOSALS WELL WITHIN THE LIMIT OF COST
FIXED BY CONGRESS.

PROPOSALS WELL WITHIN THE LIMIT OF COST
FIXED BY CONGRESS.
Washington. oct. bids were opened at the
Navy Department to-day for the construction OF
four harbor defence vessels of the monitor type
authorized by Congress at an expenditure or SLZ'o-
900 for each monitor. There were some limitations
in the act SUCH for instance that not more tHan
two OF the vessels should be built In one sh'pyard'
while an allowance Of per cent was made in favor
of Pacific Coast shIpbullders. The act also pro-
vides that the Secretary OF the Navy shal award
the to the lowest best responsible BIDDER
which is unusual and seems to admit OF the ds-
regard Of bids from any except the most respon-
sble firms. The also directed the Secretary to
I'm view the best results and most expeditions
delivery Consequently the Department made
twenty-seyen months the maximum time for the
completion Of the vessels, providing penalty rang
ing from 5000 to 5000 a day for any delay in COM
peti0n
The gathering OF bidders in the office OF Secre-
tary Long at noon. the hour set for opening the
proposals. was larger than has been seen for many
months-much larger than when bids were received
for building the hyefold more expensive battle
ships This was accounted for by ne fact that
the monitors, from their relatively small proper
lions, well within the abilities OF the smaller
shipyards OF the country while even the larger
builders might find room in their yards for the 1t
tie vessels.
Tho bids were opened and announced by judge
Acknowledgement Lcmly. examined by Chief Con
structor hichborn and Ensineer-in-Chief Meiviue
and reported by Constructor Xahn and Passed AS
sstant Engineer Mcfarland
BIDDERS AND THEIR FIGURES
Among the shipbuilders present were President
circuit and Solicitor Pdyson. OF the Newport News
Shipbuilding Company; Henry Scott, OF the Union
Iron Works San Francisco: Mayor Master. Of the
Illlff Mr.
Wolf & Zwickcr. Portland ore; Lewis Nixon. for
the Crescent Shipbuilding Works, Elizabeth. y. b.
and representatives of the Maryland Steel Com
pany Of Baltimore; John Dialogue Of Camden and
the ". p. Fletcher Company of Hoboken. ~ }.
All of those concerns submitted bids as follows
Lewis Nixon $500. to be completed in twenty
four months: Newport News Company $4,000 In
twenty-sever months; Bath Iron Works sso2"9' In
twenty-seven months Union Iron Works. $4,000,
in twenty months; Maryland Steel Company,
ss76.co in twenty-six months; Wolff & wicker,
1897 800, in twentyseyen months; the w. B. Fletcher
Company. $4,000. in twenty-one months; Column
bian Iron Works. sl05,Oo0 in twenty months,
and John Dialogue, loco, I'm twenty-six months
the lowest bidders for the four vessels were LOWS
Nixon, the Newport News Company, the Bath Iron
Woihs anu Iht mon It'll S receiv monitor
even without the allowance Of per cent winch
chc Coast This is made possible BY the fact that
all tie bidders, including the three VINO were lower
The bureau chiefs of the Navy Department
concentrating themselves that the bids well
within the limits liked by Congress. and there
is little opportunity for rreguarty in the bids.
owing TO the fact that only one set OF plans was
open. it is probable that there will be no difficulty
in awarding the contracts
FEATURES or THE VESSELS.
The monitors are to be built strictly in accord
ance with the Departments designs no provision
being made as is usually the case for the submits.
sion OF contractors plans. In type they have no
duplicates in modern ship construction, and more
than anything else resemble the little monitors
which distinguished themselves in the Civil War.
The Board of Bureau Chiefs desired to provide
OF cost fixed by Congress prevented this, and they
Obliged to content themselves with single
turret monitors of 200 tons displacement. New
ertheless the designers have cOnrived within these
vessel. though their usefulness will be strictly linn
tied harbor defence, and on account OF their
small proportions they will be able to under
take any long voyages.
these vessels VIII be vastly superior to them
in actual power. Their speed for instance. VIII
be twelve knots. about double that or the old yes
sells. Their batteries Will consist or TWO l--lncn
breech- loading rifles capable OF piercing the sides
nine tenths OF the naval vessels of the world:
four finch rapid-t guns and seven smaller call
I'm the destruction of Cervera'S squadron. The
builders are required to furnish either guns.
arrnor or turrets. The turrets. by the way are 10
be electrically controlled. Ike those on the Brook-
lyn These urrets will be of the balanced type. 10
inches thick behind eleven-nch barbettes. and a
belt OF armor II inches thick and feet broad Will
be placed the sides OF the vessels. The monitors
will be 22J feet long and 90 feet broad ana VIII
draw about twelve and a half feet OF water, ena-
bling them to freely In any OF the shallow At
lantic coast harbors.