The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-11
BIDS ARE OPENED
For the Construction of Five New
Battleships and six Cruisers.

For the Construction OF Five ~ eW
Battleships and Six Cruisers.
washington, Dec. 11.-Bids were OPEN
ed at the navy department for the con-
struction Of five new battleships and six
armored cruisers, aggregating a total
displacement of $4,000 tons. and COM
prfsing the largest consignment Of ma
terial for the navy ever contracted Tor
at a single bidding. The three battle
ships authorized by the act of March,
1899, were never contracted for owing to
delays in the procurement Of armor bids;
in the completion of designs and contro-
versy as to whether the new superin-
posed turret should be used in their con-
struction- Inability to reach satisfac-
tory conclusion in regard to sheathing
delayed construction of the three armor-
ed cruisers authorized by the same act.
These points have been adjusted.
The five new battleships, namely the
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Vir-
ginia and Rhode Island are divided into
two classes to compromise upon the con-
troverSy as to their turret systems. Three
are to be Sheathed and coppered and
viii carry superilnposed turrets; the
other two are to be unSheathed vessels
having the 'quadrilatreal arrangement"
of eight inch turrets. To meet the con-
tingency that the bids may be in excess
Of the authorized cost, the bidders We're.
however, invited to submit plans in each
case for both sheathed and unsheathed
ships.
The sheathed vessels are to be Of $1,000
tons displacement, with a length of 435
feet breadth of rs feet 10 inches and
greatest draft of 26 feet. The unsheathed
ships are slightly smaller and on the
same length are ~ inches narrower, and
400 tons less displacement. Both classes
of battleshipS will compare with any in
the world, not only af1oat but projected
for they viii have a speed of at least 10
knots which & ed m IN
1919, a great pace for a battleship, which
win be maintained by twin screw en-
g1nes of $4,000 horse power, supplied by
"A water tube boilers.
The radical difference in the battle
ships to the outward appearance will lie
in the turrets. Each ship will carry four
l2-1nch guns. These are of the extraor-
binary length of 40 calibres, or 20 feet in
the bore, of the new type just turned out
by the ordnance bureau, and superior in
efnclency to any 12-inch gun in the
world, and at least equal to the 13-inch
guns which have marked the maximum
caliber in the American navy In the
three sheathed vessels a pair of S-inch
guns will be mounted on the top of each
of the 12-inch turrets. Four other S-snch
guns will be distributed in two turrets
am1oShipS on these two vessels.
The unsheathed vessels will have all
OF their S-inch guns mounted in four
Independent turretS, one placed at each
corner of the oblong superstructure
Both classes of vessels, sheathed and
unSheathed will have a broadside of
II 6-inch rapid-fire guns on the main
deck, besides Il 14-pOunderS. and 12
2-pounders and a number of automatic
guns, making the battery more forrnid-
able than any af1oat as far as ability
to concentrate fire and throw weight of
metal is concerned.
In the matter of defensive power the
battleships of both classes are unsur-
passed. carrying eight-fOOt wide
water-line belt Of armor II inches thick
a M f1aG oh IN 70,
four inches at the ends. The 6-inch
guns Will be placed behind the protec-
ton of six inches of solid hardened steel
and the turrets will vary from 10 to II
inches in thickness. A curved turtle
back protective deck and a cofferdam
belt all around the water line stuffed
with cellulOSe will afford further pro-
lection. Electricity will be used in the
battleships to much greater extent than
in any other ships af1oat and the use
of wood will be restricted to the mini
mum.
The six armored cruisers represent the
highest development of the naval con-
structOr'S art, for Chief Constructor
Hichborn not only managed to design
in them ships as feet as any foreign
navy can boast, but has endowed them
with the qualities of battleships at many
points. Three of these ships are to be
sheathed and three are to be unsheathed.
OF a less displacement than the dis
placements of 1900 tons in the case of
the sheathed and 13, 400 in the case of
the unsleathed cruisers. these vessels
are considerably longer, being 502 feet
on the water line, with a breadth of 20
feet and a draft of rs feet inches.
Quadruple twin screws of % 900 horse
power, supplied by thirty boilers, win
propel these great ships at a minimum
speed of % knots per hour, and with
capacities for 2, 900 tons Of coal in their
bunkers their endurance will surpass
that of any similar foreign vessels. Each
cruiser will carry four S-inch guns in
Jinllf nn hp Ia cd fnI1T mol
guns in Sponsors at each corner of the
superstructure. and ten 6-inch broad
side guns besides the usual second bat
terry. Six inches of hardened steel viii
extend in a belt around the ships, seven
feet six inches broad, and the guns in
the citadel and superstructure are pro-
portionately protected. A heavy pro-
tective deck and cofferdam belt COM