New-York tribune., 1900-08-11
BIDS FOR ARMOR OPENEe,
MIDvALE COMPANY \ RIVAL TO CAR
NEGIE AND BETHLEHEM WORKS.

Washington. Aug. 1O-Bids for the arnor for
the eight batteships. SIX armored cruisers and
three protected cruisers authorized at the last
two sessions OF Congress were opened at the
Navy Department to-day. The arnor adver-
tised for aggregates s.. $50 tons and constitutes
the largest item OF its character ever opened to
competition by the Navy Department The Car
negie and bethlehem Steel companies. which
have heretofore monOpolized the production OF
armor plate for the use Of the Government. had
a rival to-day in the Nidvale Steel Company. OF
MIdvale, Penn. These three companies were the
only bidders for armor plate but there ware
two minor bidders for the bolts and nuts.
amounting 70 six hundred tons which are 70 be
furnished in connection with the arnor plate.
The Bethlehem and Carnegie companies each
bid for only half the armor TO be furnished ard
their bids were Identical in amount. terms %
delivery and other features The Midvale Com
pany bid for the entire amount Of arrnor at a
price considerably below that Of the other com
panies. and also included in its bid a sliding
upward scale for smaller amounts than the
aggregate, with the condition. however that
the bid should not be considered unless twenty
thousand tons or more should be awarded
While the bid for the aggregate amount is
lower the period which must elapse before de-
hveries are 70 begin is much longer-twenty-six
months. against six months. the time specified
by both the Carnegie and Bethlehem COMPANIES.
This long period asked by the NidvaIe Com
pary before deliveries are 10 begin doubtless Is
due 10 the fact that it would have to construct
a plant for the manufacture OF aruor plate
When II does begin delivery. however. fl agrees
10 furnish five hundred tons a month as agafns-
three hundred tens by each Of the other com
panies.
DETAILS OF THE BIDS.
The bids Of the Carnegie and Bethlehem COM
panies are each for 15,00O tons OF face har-
dened armor Of Class A-that IS arnor for
oattIeships and armored cruisers OF five inches
or more in thickness. at S445 a ton. exclusive o.
a royalty Of $40 ton, making an aggregats
cost to the Government Of ST35OO00 for 1000
tons Of armor OF this class on the Glass r
armOr for the battIeships and arnored cruisers
which is face hardened arrnor Of less than i've
inches in thickness. and of which $500 tons are
to be furnished each bid at the rate OF 500 a
ton, exclusive Of a royalty amounting 10 S11 %
ton, making an aggregate bid OF 81 80 $50
for this class of armOr- For Glass c arnor
which includes the diagonal aruOr. buIkhead
plates. etc, not face hardened OF which 11JO
tons are 10 be furnished the bid also was S4OO
IN each instance. or an aggregate OF $3.50 QUO
for the armOr Of this class The bid for 500
tons OF bolts and nuts also was 500 a ton in
each instance Each company explained that
its bid must be considered as whole, and il IL
secured the contract under IT, Krupp armOr
would be furnished
The bid Of the MidvaIe Steel Company was
fiat bid TO furnish the total of 81 900 tons OF
Class armOr at S43S ton. aggregate OF
S13,oIS,OOO, with no royalty charge TO the Cow
ernment- The upward scale for less than the
aggregate amount is follows, Twenty-Five
thousand tons at $40, 10000 tons at S442. 15.-t
600 tons at S454. 10000 tons at S466. 5000 tons
at $500, and 25OO tons at $3.50 The company
makes conditional bid for Class 3 armor at
the rate Of $3.50 ton, provided il secures con-
tract for 10000 tons OF more OF Class A armor,s
and further states that no award OF less than
10000 tons will be considered. II makes a Hat
bid OF 1927 ton for the 600 tons OF bolts and
nuts.
The other two bidders for bolts and nuts were
J. B. Kendall. OF this city who bid $3.50 a ton
and the Carnegie Steel Company OF Pfttsburgs3
which bid S445 a ton
While the Midvale Steel Company did not
specifically state in its bid that it would furnish
Krupp arTnOr, il said that the armor would be
face hardened and capable of standing the
ballistic and other tests required by the Depart
ment-
In the letters Of transmittaI accompanying ths
bids of both the Bethlehem and Carnegie COM
panies it was said that the Navy Departments
conditions as laid down in the advertisemenr
were not applicable TO the production Of KrupD-
armor," and that the bidders would expect such
reasonable notifications Of the Departments
conditions would b necessary
This means that the companies will not allow
the naval officers detailed on inspection duty To
Watch the manufacture Of the krupp plates
through the entire process The companies as
sert that this was among the conditions on
which the secret OF the process was purchased
abroad
LONG DELAY IN DELIVERIES II
The rates OF delivery named by the bidders
would make the NIdvaIe company. eight wears
IN furnishing the arrnor for which il bid and
the other two companies five years each. As
the ships are under contract 70 be finished fus
three years. and the Government is under obII-
CATION to furnish the armor TO the builders as
they need it. this delay in armor deliveries prob
any would give rise 10 numerous claims for
overtime on the part Of the shipbuiIders
The law under which these bids were called
for was passed at the last session OF Congress
after bitter and memorable struggle over the
whole question OF arnor plate II authorizes
the Secretary OF the Navy to contract for thsrs
arnor OF the vessels which have heretoforse
been authorized and which were authorized IN
that act. provided he could make contracts AZ
a price which. in his Judgment. is reasonable,
and equitable Previous -Cts for several years
had placed an upset price on arunOr which
could not be exceeded. but no maximum prizes
was fixed IN the current law. The Secretary
however. was empowered in case he could DOs-
secure arnOr at price deemed reasonable to
procure a site and erect thereon a Governments
arnor plant For this purpose II the Secre-l
tary should decide, Congress apprOpriaf fa4
S4OO0Oto No action viii be taken on to-tiav.sl
bids until the return CT Secretary Long when b.,
viii decide whether he viii accept them or p1r-i
sue the alternative course OF erecting a GOv-
ernment armOr plant.