New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-28
HUGE NAVAL CONTRACTS.
ARMoRED SHIPS TO COST $e6ooo.ooo.
BIDS WILL BE OPENED DECEMBER IN A
RECORD COMPETITION.
JBy TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIrrxE.l

tBy TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIFrNEl
| Washington. Nov. 21.-Eleven armored ships
to cost about $66OOOOOO when in fighting trim
are the prizes that are attracting shipbudng
experts to the Navy Department this week to
make final studies of the elaborate plans and
! specifications. with a view to winning in the
! great competition eleven days hence. when the
bids will be opened for perhaps the largest con-
! struCtiOn contracts ever undertaken at a single
time by the Government The amount at stake
at noon December T. according 10 the Con-
gressional appropriation. for hulls and ma
| chinery alone will aggregate $40 100000 and
within this the bids will be confined the
remaining $240O00OO required to furnish the
guns, armor, equipment and stores o. the yes
sells being reserved by the Navy Department
for expenditure after the vessels are launched
and nearly ready for service
Among the shpbuders who have arrived in
Washington to put the finishing touchegs III m
their estimates there Is genital eXpressfon Of
doubt as to their ability TO pare down their bids
to the Congressional limitation but these
avowed views are regarded by the naval author
tiles as mere bluff, founded upon the fact that
| the competition IS going to be real and that
prearrangement between the three largest con-
Germs engaged in naval work Will be Impractical
BILE
This certainty of brisk competition has been
brought about by the peculiar wording Of the
two appropriation acts authorizing these ships
and by the delay In designing the two classes Of
cruisers and battleships, of which the Depart
ment took advantage in calling for all bids to
be opened on a single day. thereby making the
prizes worth while in the highest acceptance OF
the term. The act Of March g. 1899 provided
for three batteships and three armored cruisers
and the of June { 1900, added two more
battleships and three armored cruisers each
class under both being Identical and the
limit Of cost for hus and machinery for each
vessel being So 500 600 in the case Of the battle
ships and 100000 in the case Of the cruisers
SMALL BUILDERS INTERESTED
Such attractive contracts have enabled many
small shipbuilding concerns that have not
hitherto participated in larger naval construc-
ton to secure capital for greatly increased
capacity in their plants dependent upon secur-
ing contracts, and these companies were ex-
pected 10 make close bids and compIicate the
calculations Of the Cramps, SCOTS and Newport
News companies These veteran builders have
however, exhibited no alarm on account of the
aspirants for high honors and large profits
as 1t is pretty we'll understood that the Govern
ment cannot afford risk such valuable vessels
in INEXPERIENCED hands for the sake OF a few
thousand dollars, but will prefer to have the new
builders show their capabilities first on the
smaller cruisers and torpedo craft
Under these circumstances 1t is unlikely that
battleships 140OO-ton cruisers will be built
at Richmond, Va. where extensive river i'm
provements would be forced upon the Govern
ment in order to get the vessels down 10 salt
water. 1t IS virtually concluded that the eleven
Dig vessels Will be divided between the Cramps,
SCOTS and Newport News. but the probable
distribution has become very interesting, in
view of an Interpretation of the TWO acts Of
Congress by Judge Advocate-General Lemly
Of the Navy. He finds that the Pacific Coast,
under the two acts secure three battle
ships and one cruiser. or three cruisers and one
batteshiD, or two batteships and cruisers
That coast is entitled to not more than four
vessels. being limited to two under each
The remaining seven vessels must be built
the Atlantic Each act imposes adduona! re-
strctons as to the number of vessels which
may be built by one contracting party, and IN
this particular, according TO Captain Lemly $
findings in the law single bidder the At
lantic may secure as a maximum four battle
ships and two cruisers. or four cruisers ana TWO
battleships. making in all six vessels but no
bidder can secure three of one type and three
OF another. five Of type.
ALLOTMENT PROBLEM
1t would he to the manifest advantage Of a
bidder be able To secure five ships Of type
be built simultaneously. as 1t would materially
cheaper each vessel. The most advantageous
combination open TO the SCOTS would he TWO
hatteships and cruisers each. But this would
leave of the Atlantic Coast builders. per
haps, with a single battleship, which would he
relatively unproftabe. II is also possible that
the Newport News Company may secure SIX
vessels leaving only one for the Cramps. Whlch
would be insupportable to the Philadelphia con-
Germ These conditions could he reversed ana
the Newport News Company left with single
battIeship In fact, II is difficult make any
equitable distribution among the competent bid
ders and the indications now that they Will
make proposals altogether without regard To
each others feelings.
The SCOTS declare they more than FOUR
ships. and if their bids appear TO entitle them
THE HAPPY INFLUENCE OF NkSGIN!Nt
nd featiNiiies nronntnd ENans Ale