The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-07
Proposition From One Firm to
Supply This Motive Power.
BIDS OPENED YESTERDAY.
Seven ShlpbuIIdlng Concerns Submit Pro-
posas fer Building New
Cruisers.

Washington. Jan. Bids for building
warships 10 cost So O0. 900 were opened at
the navy department yesterday. Repre-
sentatives OF nearly every important
shipbmlding concern in the country and
many sub-contractors who supply struc-
tural material for big ships attended. The
bids were close
feature was a proposition To supply
the enormous horse power required for
the Tennessee and the Washington, the
speedest ships of war the United States
navy will have with tho new turbine
motors. the latter to be supplied by an
American company. Another feature was
a statement by bidder that II had salts
power would be required for these ships
at the calculated speed. verifying the es-
Inmates OF Engtneer-in-Chief Melville.
Newport News Shipbulding company.
signs, }or S. s2e,oCo.
onsy TGrs Rr sh1 a9S .S0 EnsDs msrsi
designs, I'm AZ months. for A.57s.0 900.
Bath Iron works, one ship In AZ months,
departments designs, for N.5ooooO.
In ~ months, 81, ,S65, 0oO
New York shipbuilding company, Cam
SsPi Sspimsn. . G1ssnsD Gas sn,D for on %eOS two
ships same class. for M.I50.0Oo each, to be
delivered In 10 and AZ months.
5000 HORSE POWER.
Same company. on its own designs, pro.
viding for 22-knot ships. TO be delivered
in ~ and AZ months, "a. 2so0 900 each. IL
b,e9 was Wss thsT n,d una an ne sowance OF
Moran Bros & Co. Seattle, one ship. in
William Cramp q Sons. Philadelphia.
one ship, departments designs 80 months
same company on its own designs.
ships 10 be delivered In rs and 20 months
and to be Of % knots speed, one snip LOT
"a 10000 two ships on same plans TOT
81. 100000 each.
providing for the use Of steam turbines
and water tube boilers. A1oo.0o for one
and A06o,00 each for two.
chiefs will be necessary to determine the
awards. go
The hulls OF the cruisers will be pro-
tected by a water-line belt OF armor
worked in vertical strakes, amidships,
where Il will be about IL feet In height.
The irmor will be OF uniform thick
ness OF Ave inches throughout the ma
chinery and magazine space. and three
inches forward and abaft OF this
The protective deck will extend from
stem to stern, being fiat amidships. but
sloping at the sides and at each end.
III
ing throughout with nickel steel of 40
pounds on the fiat and 140 pounds on the
slopes.
Hoists driven by an electric motor. and
delivering seven pieces per minute Will
convey ammunition for six-inch ana
smaller guns directly from the ammlini-
ton rooms to the deck where IL Is re-
duired The turret guns will have regu-
lar ammunition hoists operated by cleo
trio power leading directly from the hand
ling room TO the turrets.
VERTICAL TWIN SCREWS.
The new men-of-war will be propelled
by vertical twin screw. four-cylinder tri-
ple-expanslon engines OF combined
horse power of not less than 5000. There
will be is boilers of the straight water
tube types on each cruiser. placed In
eight water-tight compartments. These
will furnish steam for the main engines
and all the necessary auxiliary and other
machinery throughout the ship. Each
cruiser will be fitted with four tunnels 100
feet high above the base line.
The cruisers will be lighted through
out by electricity. With the exception
OF certain auxillaries TO be operated by
steam all power on board will pc cleo
trio, including boat cranes. turrent-turn-
ing motors ventilation fan motors. etc.
Designed as nagships. the cruisers will
each provide accommodation for the fol-
lowing complement: Flag officer, COM
manding officer, chief Of stan. 10 ward
room, IL junior and ten warrant officers
and not less than sl4 men. including so
marines.
Each cruiser carries steel masts. for
ward and aft, and the specifications re-
duire that they shall be arranged for
wireless telegraphy.
The cruisers will he enabled TO cruise
for three months without replenshing
their provisions.