The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-11
RRM0R TRUSTS COMPETITOR.
New Concern Bids Lower ON Armor
Plate Than the Carnegie and
bethlehem Companies

Washington, Aug. 1o-Bids for the
armor for the eight battleships, six arm
ored cruisers and three cruisers, author
ized by the last two sessions of Congress.
were opened at the navy department to-
day,
There were but three bidders. The arm
or advertised for aggregates $3.50 tons
and constitutes the largest item of It's
character ever opened to competition by
the navy department.
The Carnegie and Bethlehem Steel Com
panies, which have heretofore monopollzed
the production of armor plate for the use
of the government, had rival to-day. in
she Midvale Steel Company of Midvale
Pa.
The Bethlehem and Carnegie companies
each bid for only half the armor, to be
furnished, and their bids were Identical In
amount, terms of delivery and other fea-
lures. The Midvoe Company bid for the
entire amount of armor nt price con-
siderably below that of the other com
panies, and also included in their bids. a
sliding upward scale for lesser amounts
ton, however, that the bid should not be
considered unless 10000 tons or more
should be awarded to them.
Bids of the Armor Trusts.
The bids by the Carnegie and Bethle-
hem companies aie each for 15G00 tons of
face hardened amor of class A, that is
armor for bat lestips and arm o cd cruis-
ers OF five inches or more In thickness
n
sol per ton, making an aggregate OF cost
TO the goverum Mt of 1880. .C0l for 15.O0o
tons of amor of this class.
On the class r armor for the battle
SHIPS and armortd cruisers, which Is face
hardensd d armor of less than five inches
in thickness and Of which $3.50 tons are
10 be furnished. each bid at the rate Of
$40 per ton exclusive OF royalty amount
ing to M1.20 per ton; making an aggre-
gate bid of $l,s62b60 for this clafe OF ar
NOR. For class c armor which includes
the diagonal armor bulk head plates. etc.
not face hardeaed, of which Il. 1850 tons are
to he furnished the bid was $400 In each
instance or an aggregate of $4,000 for
the armor of this class. Each company
explained that its bid must be considered
as whole, and If awarded the contract
under II, KfHrP armor would he FUR
nished.
oner From IN Competitor.
The bid of the Midvale Steel Company
was fiat bid to furnish the -total 81 600
tons of class A, armor at $i3S ton, an
aggregate of H357S.0O0. with no royalty
charge 10 the government
: In the letters of transmittal that accom-
panied the bids of both the Bethlehem ana
Carnegie companies. il was stated that
the navy departments conditions as laid
down In the advertisement were mot ap-
piicable to the production OF Krupp
armor" and that the bidders should ex-
pect, such reasonable notifications Of
the departments conditions as would be
necessary"
This means that the companies will not
allow the naval officers detailed on in
spection duty TO watch the manufacture
OF the Krupp plates through the entire
process The companies claim that this
was among the conditions on which the
secret of the process was purchased
abroad.
No action will be taken upon to-day's
bids until the return of Secretary Long.
when he Will decide whether he will ac-
cept them or pursue the alternative course
OF erecting government armor plant.