The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1900-12-14
BIDS FOR WARSRTPS
Are Opened In Office Of Secretary
Of the Navy In Washington,
EVENT WAS ONE OF GREAT INTEREST
Eight bidders Show Up and the Fiaurss
OF Each are Well Within the IAmit
OF Cost Allowed ~ Congress.
EVENT WAS ONE OF GREAT INTEREST

A Washington special says: Never
since the birth Of the sew navy has
there been such q gathering Of ship
builders and metal kings A. we're as
sembled in the Office Of the secretary
Of the navy at noon Friday to witness
the opening bids for the amount Of the
naval construction which Secretary
Long denominated as the greatest in
dustrial event this or auy Othor eoun-
try had ever seen, involving ths plao-
ing Of contracts Of about $50, 900, 600.
The secretary left the cabinet most-
ing to preside at the ceremony, aud
associated with him we're the chiefs Of
the naval bureaus, while among the.
spectators were Representatives Of
prominent firms and others identified
with ship building.
There were eight bidders, and most
of the bids we're we'll within the limit
Of cost allowed by congress for the
ships. The notable feature was the
attempt on the part of the younger and
smaller concerns to break the line of
the old organizations which have con-
structed all Of the heavy vessels of the
new navy up to this time.
Because of changes made in the
specifications by the bidders, the gen.
eral tendency of which is to consider
ably reduce the equipment of the
ships, it is not possible to tell which
of the bids are actually the lowest.
The battIeship bids as read are:
Cramp & Sons, one sheathed and
coppered, SO, 6O0,O 900.
Newport News company, one sheath
ed and coppered SO, 593, 900; one I'M
sheathed SO, 54O,O OO
Fort river works, one for SO, $50, 900,
or two for SO, 555, 900 each, all sheath
ed and coppered. Without sheathing
one for So, GAO, 900, two for So, 4O5, 900
each. A bid also is submitted for two
more at the same price under tho act
of 1900.
John d. Dialogue & Sons, one
sheathed and coppered, SO, 400, 900;
one without sheathing, So, 400, 900.
Another at the same figure under the
act of 1900.
Bath Iron Works, one sheathed
and coppered, $3,500,O00.
New York Ship Building Company,
one sheathed and coppered, 81, 200,
900, or two at 81, IT'S, 900 each. With,
out sheathing, one for 81, 100, 900, OF
two for 81, 900 each. This firm
offers to reduce the time limit of com.
pletion six months.
Moran Bros. & Co., Seattle, one
sheathed and coppered So, 1856, 900 Oh
two sheathed 3,49O, 900, Withou
sheathing, one for SO, 697, 900 or twt
for So, $50, 900 each. Bids also ar,
, made for two more at the same price
? under the act of 1900. This firm alst
offers to reduce the time limit abou
six months.
Union Iron works, one unsheathed
/ So, 400, 900.
A naval board will consider the bid
and report upon them.
The acts of congress limit the cos
! of the cruisers to SO, 600, 900 each, an,
of the battleships to 81, $50, 900 for tn
!. sheathed and 100000 for the un
sh eathed.
Secretary Long expressed himself a
S pleased with the result of the biddin
}. and that the bids were very liberal.
The bids were for five new battle
ships and six armored cruisers, aggrt
: eating a total displacements of 154
n 900.
r OF the battleships. namely the Penn
sylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, VII
: ginia aud Rhode Island. three are I
I be sheathed and coppered and wi
e carry super-imposed turrets; the 9th,
p two nre to be unsheathed vessels, ha'
ing 'quadrilateral arrangement"
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