The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-13
ARMOR CONTROVERSY SETTLED.
Agreement Reached Between the Navy de-
partment ana the Armor Makers.

WA%sHINGToS. Nov. " Through an ar
rangement made bet ween the Navy Depart
ment and the Carnegie and Bethlehem Steel
companies the long standing controversy
cor the price demanded by the arinor makers
Tor krupp armor has been adjusted on a basis
Nhich the naval authorities say VIII meet WIN
the approval of Congress his controversy
has resulted in della wing the construction OF
a number of battleships and arIuored cruisers.
congress having az one time forbidden the
Navy Department TO make contracts Tor build
Ing them until the price Of high-class Mmor
had been reduced. At its last session Con-
gress modified this radical provision. but pro-
vtded that unless tho Secretary OF the Navy
could secure the best armior ut "a rate con-
sidered reasonable. he should proceed to build
Il Government armor factory. toward the con-
structlon of which A.OOo.0U was Appropriated
Contracts for constructing the hulls OF only
the battleships Maine. Ohio and Missouri have
been awarded. however. and BIDS Tor con-
structlng eleven other armorclads viii not
BIO opened until next month. The arrange
ments for building these fourteen vessels were
delayed on account OF the armor controversy
Under the agreement reached between the
Navy Department and the armor makers.
there need be no further delay. and the first
deliveries Of armor will be made within six
months after the contract has been signei
Copies Of the contracts have been forwarded
10 the two concerns for approval, and II Is cx-
peCied thai the contracts Will be signed TINS
week. Until the deal Is actually consulnnated
the Navy Department VAL not make puullc
We terms OF the agreement, but there Is reasul,
10 believe that the arrnOr makers nave REDUCED
Their price Tor the best arInor treated Oy NE
hrrpp hardening process TO- $40 a ton ,,,,,
ence Of the Carnegie and Bethlehem companies
ON s5t5 Il ton. In the bid OF en"d IN Sentcrl-
Der last they submitted Identical bids oi $3.50
II ton, but served notice that they would not
make contracts for less than oIe-hdIl edCt OF
the whole amount Of arrnor required. aggre-
eating about $40 tons Of all drSCrll tons.
he Nidvale steel Company submitted lower
bids. but asked twenty-siN months within
which TO make the flrst deliveries and required
tn1t II should receive at least 2O.OJo tons. These
BIDS we're unsatisfactory ana were reJeCt"i'
just before the new bids were Ia he 81 eurd,
the Navy Department and the Carnegie and
Bethlehem companies saw a chance for an
cancelled, A. u result ol their CONFERENCES an
agreement was reached which to-day received
the sanction OF Secretary % n
Under the terms Of the agreement the Car
tract 10 furnish one-half the armor r%equi'ed
for the fourteen vessels involved. The Mid
vale tompany.s protest against the re- 'tlpi,,
Of its lower bid has been denied. and II VIII
holds that liz proposal TO begin furnishing
armur twenty--iN months after dat. OF con
tract IL objectionable on account Of Tie great
delay In getting the new ships ready for service
that would result
Tho contract will amount TO about slo.No.oo
The armorClads affected are tho Maine. tile
Ohio, the Missouri, tho Pennsylvania. the GeuT-
gta. the New Jersey, the tal!fornia, the. Me-
the Virginia. the Maryland. the South Dakota
and tina Kansas.