The evening times., 1900-06-12

will continue for many months, and 1t is
'elieved that the next annual report OF
the Secretary OF the Navy will show that
contracts have been made with builders
for the construction Of all the ships pro-
vided for.
Secretary Long has asserted that there
is TO be no delay in carrying out TIE in
crease plan. and vacations for the bureau
chiefs and their assistants will necessarily
be brief under the decision 10 push for
ward every detail in the work Of design
Five battleships. costing nearly 5000, 900
each, six great armored cruisers Of 1880
tons displacement and high speed. three
protected cruisers similar in design to
the Olympia, and FIVE submarine boats
represent the programme which the Navy
Department now has 10 dispose Of and
to ask bids on. Every one Of these craft
Will be built al private yards, so that with
:he large number Of ships already on the
stocks and the vast amount Of commercial
business being executed the prospects for
an exceedingly busy period in the ship
building world are most promising and
bid fair to exceed in tonnage any previous
record OF the country II has been decided
TO adhere 10 the policy Of letting all con-
tracts for shipbuilding 10 private yards
rather than risk the dangers Of delays
and higher cost Of undertaking to build
them at the Government yards. There is
little IN the present programme Of inter
est to any Of the yards except those Of
the Cramps. that at Newport News and
the Union Iron Works at San Francisco.
which under every increase plan secure
some OF the ships authorized. With
fourteen therefore to build, the capacity
oil these yards viii be more than taxed,
and there is already some apprehension
that the department may be unable 10
award bids for all during the present year.
however, regardless Of the difficulties
that may be experienced later. it is pro-
posed TO hasten the work Of ship designing
and TO have the preliminary programme
Cleared up the early autumn A partial
agreement has been reached to have the
two new battleshipS OF the same size and
power as those authorized last year. and
for which plans have been decided upon
and circular letter prepared asking for
bids TaeSe vessels are over Il 600 tons
displacement, have a speed of eighteen
knots and terrific battery power. They are
without the superimposed turTets and have
l2-tnch guns as the largest calibre The
cruisers VIII cost as much as the battle
ships and are to be the equal If not the
superior OF the finest Of their class In for
elgn services. Designs Of these ships will
be drawn and 1t is contemplated to duplf-
cate them for the class authorized this ses-
sion. Thus six OF the armored cruiser
class are 10 be built costing when in com
mission probably $50 OO0, 600 The three
protected cruisers. duplicates of the flag
ship Olympia in a measure, are to be de-
signed In order to improve upon the Olym-
pla in many particulars and especially to
give greater battery power end steamins
radius. To produce these results they will
have greater displacement and perhaps be
more costly vessels.
In addition TO these heavy fighters there
Is provision for five submarine boats tc
be built on the general design of the Hol-
land and PlungeT and to cost about $170. zoo
each. This completes the entire pro-
grsmme. Their cost cannot be estimated
but appropriations viii have to be made
for at least the next three years to cover
their cost
The Navy Department is also preparing
the specifications and advertisements fol