The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-01
NO ARM0R AT $500 A TON.
NOT 4 BID WITHIN THE LIMIT OF
COST FIXED BT CONGRESS.

Only One Formal Bid Made and That Mt
$3.50 n Ton, the Deliveries to Begin on
Jan. 1,IpOt-Tho Carnegie and Bst hlehe m
Companies Onor 10 Furnish II mt $780,
WASHINGTON. May 31.-As was expected. tho
Navy Department has failed to secure any bids
for furnishing armor for vessels under con-
struction or recently authorized within the
limit OF cost fixed by Congress- in the last
Naval Appropriation bill. Bids for furnishing
this armor were opened at the Navy Depart
mont to-day and the only formal proposal sub.
mitted was menifesty not worthy OF consider.
alton. not only on account OF the price named
bat because IL provided that the armor should
not be delivered for nearly five years. This
came from Berpstine Brothers Of San Fran
cisco. who offered to furnish the armor at
$3.50 ton. the deliveries to begin on Jan. l.
1904 The firm had never competed before
and their ability to com ply with the require
ments OF the departments specifications lie not
Known to the ordnance officers. Two other
propositions were submitted. but not as formal
bids. They came from the Carnegie Steel
Company and the Bethlehem Iron Com pany.
both Pennsylvania concerns. which have here
tofors provided all the amor used on battle
ships. armored cruisers and monitors. Each
concern said that II could not furnish tho
armor required for less than the price paid for
that for the Alabama. Illinois and Wisconsin,
$500 q ton. or 500 more than the max mum
price fixed by Congress.
The armor for which advertisements were
issued and the bids opened to-day Is for the
three battieships and four monitors author
lied by the naval act OF :last year and the
three armored cruisers and thrae nattleships
provided for in the act OF March 3. 1897. In
the last mentioned act Congress provided that
In procuring armor for the three battleships
and four monitors OF last years DOT the Sec
n m n ~ fnF n . a
armor for said vessels under the limitations
TO ,Ss T the same as SSd by ne
been inserted through an error and should
have read that act" rs 10 tn" original copy.
The \, Navy DEPARTMENT howeyer. h1 had no Q, dis Is
act Of March B. isst. that all vessels author:
lied last year. as well as those authorized
or Is at s @ er
ether en- barra9ssmsnt e that the act Of March
making contracts for the construetion OF the
six armored vessels II authorized until armor
at $500 ton or less had been secured
The reasons for the refusal Of the earn sg ie
and Bethlehem comranies to bid are given Ia
the letters from them opened to-day. The
"Reierring 20 y5ur advertisements. &c. in
wiling proposals for about $4,000 tons OF ar
NOR plate and appurtenancee. we regret TO
inform YOU that, owing to the conditions in
reference to, ballistic requirements: stipulated
in the circular. in order to fulfil which would
under the latest Krupp system. thereby en-.
failing much Increased cost Of manufacture.
we are unable to tender. under the limiting
price per ton set forth in the PROPOSAL We
are quite will ng, however, to furnish all or
any part OF this armor under the same condi-
tions and prices governing our present con-
tracts for the armor Of The Wisconsin and ILL.,
mole; Very respeetfully.
THE CARNEGIE STEEL COMPANY. LIMITED
by c. N. ScHwAB. President"
In it's letter the Bethlehem Com pany said:
We regret that owing TO the great severity
OF the ballistic tests. which necessitates tho
employment OF kruppized process. 1t is i'm
posi- BILE for us to furnish the armor at the
prices stipulated by Cons ress at the maximum
that can be paid. We are prepared to furnish
all or any part OF this armor at the same price
and under the same conditions as the armor
which we are now making for the Illinois and
Alabama. .
THE BETHLEHEM IRON COMPANY.
by ROBERT LIrDERMAN, President
The naval officials. while expecting such a
result. were very much disappointed over the
outcome Rear Admiral Charles O'Neil chief
OF the Bureau OF Ordnance. said that the only
relief OF the Navy Department was TO appeal to
Congress- Meanwhile the contracts for the
six ships carried BY the act OF March 3 last
cannot be made The vessels affected by the
refusal OF the two principal armor- M ki ing
companies to bid are the armored cruisers
California, Nebraska and West Virginia. tho
battleships Maine. Ohio. Missouri. New Jer-
sey. Georgia and Pennsylvania. and the mont
tors Arkansas. Connecticut. Florida and Wy
Oming