The evening times., 1900-07-31
BIDS FOR ARNoR PLATE.
Small Firms sIny Get Contracts and
Break the MonOpoIy

Small Firms iiHy Get Contracts and
Break the Monopoly
Many millions Of dollars viii be expend-
ed for the purchase Of armor for new war
ships. as a result Of bids to be opened on
AugustS
The contract If let as a whole. VIII be
the most immense ever given by the Navy
for @rmor. and is to supply ships with pro-
lection authorized al the, last and two pre-
Vious sessions OF Congress, in all eight
! battieships, three armored cruisers and
thin protection for three unprotected cruis-
ers- Thirty-one thousand tons Of armor
are required.
Heretofore two firms have monopolized
the armOr business. and it is doubtful if
there are any Others capable Of supplying
/ the heaviest and highest grade CT plates
required for the great battleships and ar
mored cruisers. Several smaller firms
which previously have not been classed as
competent 10 manufacture any class OF ar
NOR. are TO enter The competition. howev-
eT. and the Navy Department expects that
some CT these may secure awards for the
4 lighter variety of plates
( Congress practically empowered the Sec
ret2ry 70 purchase armOr AT any price that
seemed reasonable and it is therefore con
1 hdently believed that all The bids viii be
Of nature that Will permit OF contracts
: being given for the whole amount now
needed for ships soon 10 be under cOnstruc-
tion as wei as those Building
No problem Of naval DEVELOPMENT has
gwen tie Government more perplexity
than that OF armor. and for four years
congress each session has sCGabbIed over
the price that should be paid. and mean
. while hattleshlps have so advanced that
their completion was delayed for want Of
arnnor plate The hght was ended. how
ever. last spring. and the appeal OF Seere-
tary Long that he be authorized 70 pay a
fair and equitable price al last prevailed
IN addition to q. Geo tons OF improved
iace-harde1ed armOT that is TO be Dur-
/ erased. 5i.fe3 face-herdened armOr treat
+ 90 by another process and 1900 tons Of
+ the oe5t nickel steel aroor. not face-hard-
e1ed. are also 10 be contracted for.
The general features OF the arm0r for
( three battieshiDs viii be as follows. 4
partial main o. water-liue belt : feet 8
incnes II Eid,n- having a maximum thick
nees Of II inches al the upper edge taper
ing 10 II inches az the bottom for a dis
t2rce Of about 100 feet. thea reducing grad
uaiiy to Z Inches 20 the bow; upper and
ioHe er casemate arMCr each feet 6 inches
- t--'-- e--rt ---A--F7H ~ Nl--NhL-t-1s A48-
tecuES the vessels SIDES above the main
belt and connected al ;he ends by d.ag1-
nal casenate srVlCr 6 inches in thickness
two b2rbettes fer tae turrs-s Z and 5
mcnes in thickness. two turrcts with 70
Z inch port plates ana Il-inch side and rear
plates. connin tower 10 iaca-s and guaI
tower inches IN thickness. ia all ab5ls
3 . $50 tens fo- ,ach vessel.
The general requirements OF the a--aar
fcr The Other FIVE b-t-ieshiDs VIII be sinh
lar IN character tc those described the
quantity per ship being scneChst greater.
hoWe~.r. DGt presenting no greater O FL
eu.l5s 0f m21ytsct-re- SIX lrmored cru5s-
ers, each -rU9ra1 generally as follows Z
main CT Wats--iiEe belt abl-- - feet Ioug-
: feet inches wisa and &c . inches in
thickness; q taFcr belt about 20 feet in
length. : feet 6 inches vide - inches in
thickness upper and lu~er casrna-e ar-
nor about % feet N length and inches
In thickness; transverse casemzte armc-
( inches in thickness. 6-ireh gun p-5tec-
ton, in-hcS IN thickness: coming tower.
inches In thickness. signal tower. 8 inch
es thick, Two S-irch gun turrets. 61-2 and
inches IN thickness. Two S-iuch bar
oettes for turrets. 6 inches in thickness
armCT tubes and the necessary armor bolts
ard nuts
The armor for three protected cruiers
VIII consist of comparatively thin armor
Ior gun protection. cCn.ng towers. com
munication tubes. e;c-
Deliveries OF the arrnoT must commence
IS soon as practicable after contract Is
awarded and shall continue thereafter at q
rate Of not less than geo tons Per month.
the first deliveries 20 consist OF the a-uor
OF the hrst-described battIeships.
Bids VIII be received for furnishing the
whole OF each class OF armo- in lots OF
about $500 5.o5e. I0.e00. I5.CC0. 10000. %
eco CT 31.CoO tons.
The successful bidder must use every en-
dcavCr and incur an necessary sxueusa 10
Furnish The very best aruor that can be
produced at the time OF manufacture. and
the tests set forth in the s7eci6carions are
10 ne regarded merely as Limits Of quality
which h Is bound 10 excel. f practicable
2Et 81 shall De Incumbent OF hin 60 use
the best and most approved processes as
+ they appear from tine 10 time and 10 make
every e-c-t TO improve the baIEstie quail
ties Of aTr-g~ r11ha