Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-02
WILL BE 1s-KNoT SHIPS.
Eminentiy Satisfactory to the
(sOyerum


Government.
WASHINGTON, Sept. Flour firms Of
fered bids for three new battleships au-
thorized by the last congress. The lowest
bid of each for any type of one vessel fol-
lows:
Newport News shipbuildlng Company,
Newport News, Va, s2.5s0,0O0; Cramps
Philadelphia s2,6 900; Union Iron Works.
San Francisco, s2,G74,00 Dialogue &c Co..
S2S40,00
Many details OF construction will figure
in the awards.
The result of the bidding Is evidently sat
isfactory to the navy department. The gov
ernment will get much more In the matter
of power and speed than was expected and
the cost is going to be less than was paid
proportionately for the Illinois type; and.
finally, the department viii be able TO dis
tribute the work among the three big build
ing concerns. method of construction that
always rebounds to the advantage of the
government.
The bids were opened shortly after noon.
In the presence of a number of representa-
tives of shipbuilding concerns, of bureau
chiefs and other men connected with the
department.
The bids were to be made in three classes.
the first being under the plans prepared
1,OO tons, with speed OF l6 knots. Other
classes were under plans prepared by the
bidders themselves, in some cases on ad-
ditional plans prepared by the engineering
bureau, but not included in the original
specifications sent out to bidders.
The bids We're opened in the following
order.
J. II. Dialogue &c Co.. Camden, N. j. one
ship in thirty-three months under class /,
for the sum of $2,Si0.0 900.
Newport News Ship Building Company
One ship under class ], in three months.
for S2,5sO,000: one ship under class 2. with
a speed of II knots in thirty-twO months,
s2,SOo.CO0; one ship of about 12.S5o tons. with
q speed of IS knots. in thirty-two months.
for the sum OF S2,S50,0O0.
William Cramp Ship Building Company
One ship under class l. in twenty-nine
months. for S26J0,00O; two ships of the
same class, for s2,G25 900 each.
One ship under class 2. with n speed of
IL knots in thirty-two months, with a ton
mage of II 800. for 81, ,72j,0o0 or two Of the
same for $4,000 each; One ship Of 12.l5o
months. for $2.Ss5.000. or two of the same
for s2.S0,OC0 each. Union Iron works, of
San s. n francisco, L one ship under class /, for
26A.V0. in thirty-one months. One ship
under class 2, with a speed OF II knots,
for s2,725.ooo, In thirty.one months.
@ Months for os sassssed knos carefu an examine
alton of these bids shows that prices asked
for the vessels planned on the department
designs average slightly less than the price
the ships are improvements in some re-
spects. But it also appears that the bids
are within the limit of cost fixed by con-
gress. even where the builders propose to
make them of IS knots speed. much better
ships than called for by the department.
ed. therefore, will be for the eighteen-knot
ships. In this case, the Newport News
company is the lowest bidder, but bids for
only one ship The highest is the Union
Iron works. but the act of congress allows
the department to make an allowance of
not TO exceed per cent for the Pacific coast
bidders, SO that brings their bids within
line. Cramp comes between them, and the
three ships are likely to be distributed
geographically In that order.