New-York tribune., 1900-11-15
NAVAL ARMOR CONTRACTS.
SECRETARY LONG EXPECTS TO CLOSE
THE TRANSACTION TO-DAY
lBr rxLEeRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE ]


washington Nov. 14.-Secretary Long expects
tomorrow 10 close the long delayed contracts
fo- S5 $50 tons OF arnor on the basis OF bids
tected by the Navy Department three months
ago when the Bethlehem and Carnegie COM
nanies proposed 10 divide the contract equally at
a total Of S19 Dos 120, and the Midvale company
appeared for the hrst time q competitor in
the arr1or field and offered 70 do the whole Job
al a saving Of nearly S5.0O0.0OO.
Secretary Long has been indefatigable in his
e1orts TO bring the arrnor makers to reasonable
terms and to-day he feels that he has succeeded,
and only awaits the arrival IN Washington to-
morrow OF Vice-President Davenport OF the
Bethelehem company 10 execute the contract on
lines agreed on this afternoon by Admiral
O'Neu and the represen tative OF Carnegie.
Charles A Stone formerly a ueutenant-com-
mander in the Navy. and approved by the Sec
retary.
All details regarding the notifications in the
proposals OF the armor manufacturers, as well
as the character CT the concessions made, are
withheld until the bargain is made binding. but
Il is not doubted that a substantial saving 10
TIE Government VIII be made over the bids OF
August 10. which were promptly rejected as
extortionate At that time the schedules were
Immediately readvertised, but month later
these advertisements were withdrawn, II being
evident that the armor makers would not reduce
time the show Of rivalry made by the Midvale
company suddenly disappeared. and the Govern
rnent was confronted with the old proposition OF
dealing with the two companies whose BIDS TOT
years had resulted n dividing the work in halves
with identical prices in every instance. The
Navy Department was everse TO esta blishing an
arrnor plant Of its own. for which Congress at
its last session appropriated S4OoOpoo. the prin-
cipal objection being that such an establishment
ba- g- for 8.
and n the mean time important warships would
have 10 remain unfinished.
The original bids. which form the basis OF the
contracts 10 be made Tomorrow, are as follows:
CARNEGIE AND BETHLEHEM GDENTICAL).
Class 4 Krupptzed 6 inches and oyeFl. EGG : ooo
tons. At *4S e ton and s45 q ton royalty, making
e. e So $50 ton and 81 20 ton royalty making 81
S, 6isSs ,.s5 DSs o hardened -l50 tons at '4 ton
bolts and nuts 900 tons. at 500 tor. making
Total bid. s.a25so
MIDvALE
7 A's aF s2 at aso s .dinf tR H:9fns saaIs 81 n
cTeas!ng prices for less amounts than 1900 tons.
c!sss 2 $3.50 ton. making a;44,e ,eso
eigss ess r6 SsG S9,a 149 is 946Ing toB s 0
G0taI t A :;5.655 $500 200 col ''--'
g The combined Carnegie and Bethlehem bids
amounted 10 S19.225. 120. including s1.775,6oo
4 for alleged royalties. The royalty OF $40 & ton
said 70 be inseparable from Kruppized plates
raises the Carnegie Bethlehem bids for that
product 10 $3.50 ton, against the Midvale bid
Of S30S for exactly the same thing.
There were differences in times Of delivery be-
tween the Midvale and the combined bids.
which were, however. inconseQuential, as ali
the arrnor would have been finished long before
the ships would need II. Perhaps the strangest
thing about the settlement TO be made to-mor-
row would be the apparent apathy Of the Mid
vale COMPANY. were II not generally understood
that ths company will be kept busy as a sub
contractor for large portions OF the work.