The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-11-02
LOCAL BIDS
TOO HIGH
And Crusier Will COnSe=
quentIy Be Built
Elsewhere.

| Washington. Nov. Proposal
which were opened at the Navy
Department today for the building
of six new warships for the Govern
men, brought together the la'ges
number of shipbuildihg men tha
have been here since the early day:
of competition for the cruiser class
of work.
The new vessels will be about
5000 tons displacement, a little
larger than the Raleigh and Cir
cinnati class, The specd is to be
not less than I61l knots. They
will have twin screws and battery
composed of 10 y-inch guns. s
g. Founders, ? I,pounder' and 4
machine guns. The limit of cost
fixed by Congress, exclusive of
armament, is sI,I4I,S 500 each, and
ii is provided that not more than
two ofthese vessels shall be built
in one yard.
There was much surprise that
the Cramps and the Newport News
Company should not be among
the bidders, and that the Maryland
Steel Company, which it was said,
had expected to bid. also failed.
The large yards are said now to
have all the work they can pcs IDLY
attend to in the merchant line and
with ships building for the navy,
they probably sec no profit in the
cruisers at the present high price
of structural steel. 1t was
apparent to the naval officials. how
ever, that some OF the shipyards
must have received an intimation
that steel will not continue 10
advance, but that reduction may
te expected. in order to justify
some Of the bids presented.
The surprise of the competition
was the low bid Of the firm Of
William R. Trigg & Co., OF ti:h-
mond, which would unques-
tionably be awarded ;wo Of the
vessels but for the wish OF the
Administration that wide dis
tribution of the work be made.
The bids of this company were as
follows:
One vessel, departments plan,
completed in "a months, s.. $4,000
bidders plan, one vessel for
SI,o73,ooo, delivery in "a months;
two vessels, same type, SI,o27,ooo
each; bidders plan, guaranteed
speed of 10 knots, delivery in II
months; one vessel for SI,o7o,ooo;
two vessels of same type tor 81
100000; bidders plan, one vessel
for sI,o44,ooo, delivery in "a
months; two vessels, same type, for
so57.ooo each.
The bids of the Harlan &
Hallingsworth Company and
Pasey & Jones Company, Whining |
ton, are beyond the Limit. AS
result, therefore, of today's b,d- !
ding the vessels will be awarded as |
follows: One to William r. Trigg
& Co., of Richmond, Va; one to /
Lewis Nixon & Co.. of Elizabeth
port; one to the Bath Company;
one to the Union Iron Works; on.
to the Fore River Engine Com
pany. and the other to Neahe &
Levy, of Philadelphia. All these
firms bid we'll within the limit of
the appropriation. The bids were
as follows
Neahc & Levy Shipbuildung
Company, Of Philadelphia-Dcp
ment's plans, one vessel for 81,
oSo, 600; two of the same type for
sI,o5o,ooo each.
Union Iron Works. OF San
Francisco One vessel. on the
departments plan, 81, ,o4I 900.
Bath Iron Works, Bath, Me-
One vessel, departments plans,
,I,c4T, $50.
Lewis Nixon, E.iizabetbport, N.
One vessel, dcpa tment's plans,
'I,oSo,o66.
Fore River Engine Company.
}raintree, Mass. s.-One vessel. on
he departments pans. modlfe i
II ,o65, 900.