The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-02
BIDS ON BATnESH|PS
offered By the Four Big Ship
building Firms.
THREE ARE TO BE BUILT
Bidders Offer at Least an
Eighteen-Knot Speed.

} Washington, ID. c., Sept. -Four firm
offered bids for the three new battleship:
authorized by the last congress. The low
est bid of each for any type Of one vesse
follows:
Newport News Ship Building company
Newport News. Va, s., $4,000; Cramps
Philadelphia, 81, $50, 900; Union Iron Works.
San Francisco. $2.674. 900; Dialogue & Co.
$2,S40,00O
Many details Of construction will figure
in the awards.
The result of the bidding on the con-
struction of the three big battleships au-
| thorized by congress is eminently salts
factory to the navy department. From the
face of the bids, II is clear that the gov
eminent is going to secure much more in
the matter Of poWer and speed than was
expected; that the cost is going ito be less
than was paid proportonately for the
! Illinois class, and finally, ;ha; the depar.-
ment will be able 10 distribute the work
among the three big building concerns, a
method of construction that always re-
| bounds to the advantage Of the govern
ment
The bids were opened shortly after noon
in the presence of a number of representa-
! tives OF shipbUilding concerns, of bureau
chiefs land other men connected with the
department. Acting Secretary Allen sat at
the head Of the table on which the bids
were placed, with Judge Advocate Gen
eral Lemly on his left. Engineer-in Chief
Melville and Chief Constructor Hichborn
were seated on the left with Constructor
Taylor and Passed Assistant Engineer Nc
Farland. Surrounding the table were rep
resentauves of the shipbuilding concerns,
among them being President Henry Scott,
of the Union Iron Works of San Francisco;
President Circuit, of the Newport News
Ship Building company; John Dialogue, of
Camden; Messrs. Charles Cramp, Mccain
non and Williams of Cramps; Edward
Hyde, of the Bath works; Superintendent
Wilson and Naval Architect Cheesborough
Of the Sparrow Point works, and Construc-
tor Woodward, from Newport News.
The bids were made in three classes, the
first being under the plans prepared by the
navy department, calling for ships of about
Il 90 tons, with "a, speed of sixteen knots.
Other classes were under plans prepared
with the bidders themselves, in some cases
on additional plans prepared 0y the ene!-
neering bureau, but not included In the
original specifications sent out 10 bidders.
The bids were opened in the following
order:
J. H. Dialogue & Co, Camden, n. j.
One ship in thirty-tpree months, under
class l, for the sum Of s2S4O,OO0.
Newport News Ship Building company
One ship under class l. in thirty-one
months for the sum of 900 one ship
under class >. with a speed of seventeen
knots, in thirty-two months 1885, 900 onet
ship Of about ~ $50 tons, with a speed of
eighteen knots in thirty-two months, for
the sum of 81. so 600.
William Cramp Ship Building company
Of Philadelphia-One ship under class l, in
twenty-nine months, 81, 65O. 900; two ships of
the same class, 81, 625, 900 each; one ship
under class ,, with a speed of seventeen
knots, in thirty-two months with A ton
mage of Il. 500, g. ia, 900, or two of the same,
s., zoo, 900 each; one ship of L, $50 tons and
q speed of eighteen knots, in thirty-two
months. 81 $50, coo, or two of the same for
$3.50. 600 each.
Union Iron Works, of San Francisco
one ship under class !, for $2,674,oOO, IN
thirty-one months; one ship under class 2.
with a speed of seventeen knots, 81, 725 900,
in thirty-one months; one L, 2OO-ton eight
een-knot ship, in thirty-three months, ST.
$50, 900.
A careful examination of these bids show |
that the prices asked for the vessels plan |
ned on the department designs average |
Slightly less than the price to be paid for |
the Illinois class. although the ships are
Improvements in some respects. But it |
also appears that the bids are within the |
limit of the cost fixed by congress, even |
where the builders propose to make them |
of eighteen knots speed, much better ships |
than called for by the department. 1t is
expected that the only bids considered. |
therefore, viii be for the eighteen-knot |
ships. In this case the Newport News |
is the lowest bidder, but bids for /
only one ship. The highest is the Union |
Iron Works but the act Of colg. ess al |
lows the department TO make an allowance /
of not to exceed per cent in favor of the !
Pacific coast bidders, 50 that 5Cln-s :hcIr
bid within line.
Cramp comes in between them, and con-
sequenJly the three ships are likely to !
be distributed geographically in that or
der. In the case Of eighteen-knot ships
both Cramp and the Union Iron Works
submitted similar plans The Newport
News bid for the eighteen-knot vessel is
original with them. If it should not be
to the department then Cramp
would probably get two Of the ships.
The bids have been taken under advise
ment by Acting Secretary Allen.
ca