Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-23
BIG NAVAL INCREASE
Bids for Torpedo Boats and Destroyers
Opened.
TWENTY-EIGHT VESSELS TO Be BUILT
Promotions for Eminent Conduct
in Battle.
A STATEMENT BY SAMPSON

stroyers and twelve torpedo boats. to cost
in the aggregate not exceeding $500, 600,
as provided in the last naval appropriat ton
act. These twenty-eight destroyers and tor
pedo boats constitute the largest single ad-
dition ever made to the navy. and as the
destroyers are to be completed within eight
cen months AMI the torpedo boats within
twelve months it means that the actual
augmentation of the navy by these formida-
BILE modern naval engines will be an accom-
plished fact before long. According to the
requirements Of the department the de-
stroyers are to have guaranteed speed of
twenty-eight knots, and the torpedo boats
twenty-six knots. The destroyers are to be
about 400 tons, and are to cost not more
than s29o00O 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 vsssels
of that type added to our navy, except
those improvised from yachts during the re-
cent exigency.
The torpedo boat destroyers will have
twin screws vertical engines, to be placed
in separate water-ught compartments, each
with condenser; water tubular boilers and
a bunker capacity for carrying at least 100
tens of coal, affording some protection to
| engines and boilers.
The vessels will be lighted throughout by
electricity and furnished with one search
| light of an approved pattern.
They are to be built stanch and strong,
| with good freeboard, good seagoing quail
ties and designed to operate at high speed
| in seaway. They are to have two coming
| towers, the forward one of which will be
| made Of half-inch nickel steel plates.
The battery will be composed OF seven
rapid-firing guns in approved positions on
| deck or coming towers. which, with their
mounts and fittings, will weigh about eight
tons. Ths ammunition required will weigh
Lob toms q
| on the midsnip line two twenty-foot torpedo
| tubes, to carry seventeen-foot torpedoes,
weighing in all four tons. and space below
will be required for slowing the two spare
| torpedoeS and four war heads. Total ord
| nance weights will amount to about twenty
four tons.
| Berthing space will be required to accom-
| modate a crew of sixty men and four off,
GERS and provision space for twenty days.
The torpedo boats are made of the same
| design except smaller. Their coal capac-
! tty is forty tons. as against one hundred
| tons for the destroyers. and their berthing
space is for twenty-SiX men and three Off
GERS.
| The torpedo boats will be of about 100 tons
| trial displacement They are to have twin
| screws: vertical engines, placed in separate
water-uSht compartments, each with q
| condenser: water tubular boilers, and
| bunker capacity for at least forty tons of
coal
The vessels will be lighted throughout by
| electricity. and furnished with one search
light of approved pattern.
| They are to be built stanch and strong
| for the service intended, of good free board
and sea-goipg qualities, and capable of op-
Grating at high speed in moderate sea
way. They are to have two coming tow
ers the forward one of which will be of
one-half-inch nickelste plates.
/ The battery will be composed of three
| rapid-fire guns and mounts, weighing about
two tons. with three and one-half tons of
ammunition.
There will be mounted on deck in ap-
proved positions, three 15-foot torpedo
| tubes. with torpedoes, and stowage space
| below for two additional torpedoes and five
war heads. Total of all ordnance weight
will amount to about thirteen tons.
Opening the Bids.
Representatives of all the great ship
| building firms were present when the bids
were opened. The bids, plans etc, were
| piled several feet high, and there promised
| to be much delay and confusion. Some of
| the department officials thought it would
take two weeks to get the bids fully tab
ulated, as they took a wide range. owing
| to the departments call for two classes of
propositions, one based strictly on the de-
partments plans and specifications, and
others based on the individual idea of the
| builders, all essential requirements being
| followed.
The first bid was that of the Bath iron
| works, Bath, Me-, for one torpedo boat
speed % 5-10 knots, at $161 600 four at
100000 each; one destroyer OF twenty-nine
| knots at s232,000, two at s2S1, 900, or three
at s2s050o
| Other bids We're: Dialogue & Son, Cam
| den, N. j., one torpedo boat destroyer,
twenty-nine knots, at s293.o0o, or two at
$2So,OOO each.
| Columbia iron works. Baltimore, Nd,
one to four torpedo boats, twenty-sIx
knots; at 100000 each; also, under differ
| ent plans, one torpedo boat, $16S, 900; .wo,
$165,O ,O0o three sl63, 600, or four s161 600 each
| also one destroyer, twenty-eigkt knots
! $293,o0O. two at $291, 600. three or four or
hve at s2s9,oOO each; also destroyers under
olfferent plans, one two at $3.50 500;
| three. four or five at $2S2.00o each.
Naval Promotions.
| The President today made the following
| promotions in the navy for eminent and
conspicuous conduct in battle:"
! Lieuts. Benjamin Tappan and Thomas
| M, Brumby, to be advanced five numbers in
| the list of lieutenants; Ensigns Harry H.
| Caldwell and William P. Scott to be ad-
vanced five numbers in the list of ensigns;
! Naval Cadet VIM. R. White, to be ad-
vhnced five numbers in the list of naval ca
diets performing service at sea.
The President also advanced Acting Car
| penter James l. Haley to be carpenter in
| the navy.
Naval Orders.
| Commander ]. V. B. Blocker has been or
dered to duty at the navy yard, Ports
MOUTH, N. ID.
Lieut.. J. w. Hagenman has been Getach-
| ed from the Portsmouth navy yard and or
dered home.
Assistant Paymaster w. r. Heath has
| been ordered to the Frolic.
To Whom Cervera Surrendered.
| Admiral Sampson said today, concerning
| the report that Garcia claims that Cervera
surrendered to the Cubans and was turned
over TO the navy, that 1t could not be true
There were no Cubans about, except a few
| on the shore. The admiral says Cervera
was .taxen off his flagship by the Glouces-
| ter, and was afterward taken aboard the
Iowa
Bids for Navy Ammunition.
| Bids were opened at the Navy Depart
ment at noon today for 100000 6-pounder
steel shells, 100000 3-pounder steel shells
| and 100000 1-pounder steel shells for the
use of the United States navy. Bids were
received as follows:
Miami Manufacturing Co-For 6-pound-
| ers. $1.S5 each; for 3-pounders. 80 cents
each. and for 1-pounders. 45 cents each
The Builders Iron Foundry-For 8-pound-