Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-01
INCREASING THE NAVY
Bids for Six Cruisers Opened at the Navy
Department.
Will Be About the Size of the Raleigh,
Adapted for Tropical Waters.

Bids were opened at the Navy Depart
ment today for the construction of six
sheathed and coppered cruisers authorized
by the last naval appropriation bill. Those
vessels will be of about 3 300 tons displace-
ment-a little larger than the Raleigh and
Cincinnati class. The speed is to be not
less than l612 knots. This is less than the
nominal speed of the Raleigh and Cincin-
natl which the naval experts have declared
to be overpowered, but the new ships will
have a much greater radius of action, car
rying 100 tons of coal and being able to
cross the Atlantic straightaway, a feat be-
yond the ability of the Raleigh or her sis
ter ship. The new ships will carry water
tube boilers. twin screws and an effective
battery composed of ten tive-inch guns,
eight SiX-pOunderS, two one-pounderS and
four machine guns. Every care has been
taken to design these ships to make
them comfortable for long cruises in tropi
cal waters, and, owing TO the fact that they
are to be built of steel Sheathed and cop
pered, they will be able to escape the ne
cessity for frequent visits to the dry dock.
The limit of cost fixed by Congress, exclu-
sive of armament. is $1.141, 500 each, ard it
IS provided that not more than two OF
these vessels shall be built in one yard.
The bids were as follows
Moran, Bro. IL Company, Seattle, Wash; ;
one vessel on the departments plans, COM
plete for delivery in thirty months $1,l22,
900.
VIM. R, Trigg & Company, Richmond.
Va; one vessel, departments plans TWEEN
ty-four months delivery, SLOT 900.
Same company: bidders plans; one vessel
for $1,0i4,0 delivery in enty-four
months, speed guaranteed eighteen knots:
two vessels, same type, for S!t37 900 each
Same company; bidders plans; one vessel
for $f.GI3,o0o, delivery in twentyfour
months; same type, two vessels for ST.,
OBJ, 900 each.
Same company; bidders plans, guaran-
teed speed Of nineteen knots. delivery in
twenty-fOur months. one vessel for ST.
0I9,OO0: two vessels, same type, 81 .us9, 600.
Fail River Engine Company. Eraintree,
Mass; one vessel, on the departments S
plans, modified, Sl,0U5, 600. twenry-seven
months delivery: two vessels. same type,
$1,02J00o, delivery of one in twenty five
and the other in twenty~seven months.
Same company, bidders plans. twenty
seven months delivery, speed Of eighteen
knots and bunker capacity SGti tons one
vessel for 81 900; two vessels of the
same type. S1.o2oO00 each, delivery in twem-
ty-flve and tWenty-seven months, respect
lively.
Same company, bidders plans displace-
ment 300 tons, speed eighteen and one
half knots one vessel. delivery twenty-sev-
en months, for 81 100 600; two vessels same
type, each $l,0&0,s00; delivery, one in TWEEN
ty-tive aud the other in twenty-seven
months.
Burlee Dry Dock Company of Port Rich
mond, Staten Island, n. Y, for depart
mcnts plans, one vessel for 81, 100 600, de-
livery in thirty months
Neatie & Levy Ship and Engine Building
Company Of Philadelphia Departments
plans, one vessel for S1,0S0,0O two of the
same type for S1,o50,0o0 each; delivery 30
months.
Townsend ( Downey of New York-one
vessel builders plans. 1859 900, delivery
- months: two for $1,055,OO0 each, delivery
In 81 and q months.
Same btdders-Departments plans, one
vessel 1854, 500, delivery 81 months; two
vessels, same type, $4,000 each, delivery
81 and 81 months
Columbian iron works of Baltimore-One
vessel on the departments plans, S1,1lG,OO
delivery, 80 months.
Union iron works of San Francisco-One
vessel on the departments plans S1O41.-
800; delivery, so months
Bath iron works, Bath. Me.-One vessel
on departments plans, $1,O41G50; delivery,
30 months.
Lewis Nixon, Elizabethport, N J.-One
vessel on the departments plans, 81 ,O39 1856;
delivery, 80 months
these We're all of the bids received.