The evening times., 1900-06-12

$4,000 tons Of the highest quality Krupp-
lied arnor, which is expected TO cost be-
tween $4,000, coo and $19. 600 600. These
vast sums fer contract work. which are
just about equal TO the addittenal cost of
guns. stores and equipment for the same
ships. represent more than twice the
amount ever at one time under the dispo-
sition Of the naval administration. and
form a fair expression OF the growth Of the
United States as world power.
The armOr is for the bsttieships Maine.
Missouri. and Ohio. already well advanced
at the Cramps Newport News. and
Scott's yards. the harbcr defence monitors
Arkansas. Connecticut, Florida. and Wyo-
ming. nearly hall completed at Newport
News, Bath, NixOn's, and Scott's; the bat
tloships Georgia. New Jersey, and Penn
sylvania and three like them not yet nam
ed. and for the armored cruisers Califor-
mia. Nebraska. and West Virginia. and
three yet unnamed like them.
The most interesting point about the ar
NOR. since the long fight in Congress for
low price limit was predicated on the un-
derstanding that the Carnegie and Beth
lehem companies were an exclusive trust.
is a plan proposed to the Navy Departures T.
and practically adopted, to induce other
steel workers TO enter the competition for
portions CT the great contracts. Only the
two principal concerns possess the TeQUi-
site plant to handle ne large-size armor
plates and the cured barbettes and tuT-
TeIs required. bat 4. is believed that many
smaller establishments have capacities for
turning out the thinner plates such as
those for protective decks and supeTstruc-
ture protection. and that they viii De
found glSd to try this class OF work at
rates below $500 a ton. the two larger
cannot be furnished for less than $3.50 a
ton.
Another important advantage to be
gained by greater distribution Of the enor-
nous amount OF armor required lies IN the
speed Of delivery. The combined output
OF the Carnegie and Bethlehem works is
thought to be unequal TO raeet the Gov
ernment's necessities for 3. coo tons Of the
highest class product, although il is likely
they can furnish the heavier material as
rapidly as the shipbuilders require it.
These two plants Will also be relied upon
TO make the gun forgings for the main bat
teries Of the new ships. while the smaller
works supply the forgings for the secon-
dairy batteries
The complete construction programme
authorizes contracts for hulls and nachin-
cry alone amounting to S5l. 10000 The
battleships. known as the Pennsylvania
class, are to be nearly ID. coo tons displace-
ment or over 5.0O0 tons heavier than the
that famous vessel. and with al Least
| three knots higher speed. The six cruis-
ers of the California class OF 1900 tons
twenty -thEee-lsoots- spse-la and 500 knot
steaming radius. will be unmatched in th'
world. They will be :. .000 tons larger thar
| the Brooklyn. and at least three times a.
powerful for hghting uses All these yes
| sells will be armor coated from the extrem'
| bow TO stern. and viii be the most fOrmid
| able ships yet laid down in any dockyards
| The three protected cruisers OF about 1000
| tons displacement will be Just about twic'
| the Olympia's size. but will preserve tn
/ excellent characteristics OF that vessel
| which have proved her 10 be about thi
| most useful type OF cruiser TOW in IN
| service. These three new vessels. whicl
/ are TO be named for cities. viii have Goa
| capacity for steaming three times acros
| the Atlantic and their maintained spec
| viii be twenty-three knots