The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-11
BIDS FOR WAR SHIPS ARMoR.
THY Are Submitted by the Carnegee Midvale
and Bethlehem Companies.
(By the Associated Press. J


Washington, August 10.-Bids for the
armor for the eight battleships, six ar
mored cduisers and three protected cruis
ers authorized by the last two sessions
of Congress were opened at the Navy
Department today. There were but three
bidders. The armor advertised for ag-
gregates $3.50 tons and constitutes the
largest item of its charf0 or ever opened
to competition by the Navy Department.
The Carnegie and Bethlehem Steel Com
panies which have heretofore monopolized
the production of armor plate for the
use of the Government had a rival today
in the Midvale Steel Company of Mid
vale, Pa.
The Bethlehem and Carnegie Com
panies each bid for only half the armor
to be furnished and their bids were iden-
teal in amount, terms of delivery and
other features. The Midvale Company bid
for the entire amount of armor at q
price considerably below that of the 9TH
er companies and also included in their
bids a sliding upward scale for lesser
amounts than the total aggregate with
the condition, however, that the bid
should not be considered unless 2p,000
tons or more should be awarded to tner.
hem companies are each for $4,000 tons
of face hardened armor of class "a" that
is, armor for battleships and armored
cruisers of five inches or more in thick
ness at $445 per ton, exclusive OF roy
atty of $45 per ton, making an aggregate
of cost to the Government of 1850, 00e
for $4,000 tons of armor of this class.
On the class "B" armor for the battle
a,,1 m binJ, SC Fu.,a
hardened armor of less than five inches
in thickness and of which $500 tons are
to be furnished, each bid at the rate of
$4OO per ton exclusive of a royalty,
amounting to $11.20 per ton, making an
aggregate bid of 81, $50 for this class
of armor.
For class "C' armor, which includes the
diagonal armor bulkhead plates, etc, not
face hardened of which 1850 tons are TO
be furnished and the bid also was $401
in each instance or an aggregate of
$3.50. 900 for the armor of this class.
Each company explained that it's bid
must be considered as whole and il
awarded the contract under it, Krupp ar
NOR would be furnished.
The bid of the Midvale Steel Company
was fiat bid to furnish the total OF
$13,578,0 900 with no royalty charged to the
Government
In the letters of transmittal that ac~
companied the bids of both the Bethlehem
and Carnegie Companies, it was stated
that the Navy Departments conditions as
laid down in the advertisement were mot
applicable to the production, of Krurp
armor" and that the bidders should eek
pect such reasonable notifications of the
departments conditions as would be ne
cessary."
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 today IS
bids until the return of Secretary Long
when he will decide whether he will ac-
cept them or pursue the alternative course
of erecting a Government armor plant