Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-03
Bids Opened Tor Three New
iii
Battle Ships.
GREATasW AR ENGINES
WILL BE OUR MOST POWERFUL
NAVAL VESSELS.
Small Number Of Offers to the Navy
Observation-Disclosures and
Armament Of Ships.

Three important steps toward the up
building Of the adequate" navy for which
the administration IS fighting were taken
today when bids were opened for the con-
struction of the Minnesota, Vermont and
Kansas, the three 10000 ton battle ships au-
thorized by the recent Congress- each to
cost not exceeding 81 212,OOO.
The Newport News Shfpbuilding Com
pany OF Newport News, Va. was the low
est bidder for one vessel. The William
Cramp & Son Ship and Engine Building
Company was the only bidder for more than
one ship.
The Bids.
Following are the bids:
Newport News Shipbuilding Company, one
vessel. departments plans. to be completed
in forty-two months from date Of contract.
81, 10000.
William Cramp & Son Ship and Engine
Building Company. one vessel. depart
ments plans. to be completed in forty-two
months, $4,19O.O0O. or two vessels. depart
ment's plans. in same time, 81. 1s1, GOO each
Fore River Ship and Engine Building
Company. Quincy, Mass, one vessel, de-
partments plans, forty-two months. a.
Eastern Shipbuilding Company. New Lon
don, Conn, one vessel. forty-two months.
New York shipbuilding Company. one
months. "a, 10000
1t is supposed that the unsettled labor
conditions throughout the country are the
cause for the small number Of bidders and
for the fact that only one company bid
on more than one ship.
| Most Powerful Warships.
With a required speed of eighteen knots.
a displacement Of 1900 tons. a main bat
terry Of four Pinch eight s-inch and twelve
finch breech-loading rifles and secondary
battery Of twenty 8-inch 14-pounder rapid
fire guns. twelve g. FOUNDER semi-automatic
guns. six 1-pounder automatic guns. two
1-pounder semi-automatic guns. TWO 3-inch
field pieces. two machine guns and six auto
matte guns. the battle ships Minnesota
| Vermont and Kansas will be the most pow
erful vessels OF the American navy.
Arrangement of the batteries Of the Min
nesota and the other vessels of her class
will be as follows:4,n-
The 12-inchr guns mounted in pairs, In
two electrically controlled. balanced, ellipti-
cal turrets, oHfthe center line, one forward
and one aft cash with an arc Of fire OF
about 30 degrees: the S-inch guns in four
electrically controlled. balanced. e1liptical
| turrets, two on each beam, at each end Of
the superstrdeture::i the 7-inch guns in
broadside on pedestal mounts, On the gun
| deck behind Tifnch armor. each isolated by
| splinter bulkteads Of nickel steel: forward
I and after guns arraHged to fire right ahead
and right astern, respectively: the other e
| inch guns to have usual broadside trains
| Guns of the secondary battery will be
mounted in commanding position having
a large arc OF unobstructed fire.
The Minnesota type will be fitted with
twelve-inch and eight-inch turrets. A com.
plete belt of armor,, nine feet three inches
wide, will protect, the hull at the water
line and the necessary casemate armor and
protection for ammunition tubes will be
provided. The protected deck will extend
from. stem to stern, built up Of twenty
| pound plating with nickel steel OF forty
pounds on the fat and one hundred pounds
| on the slope.
! Vertical twin-screw four cylinder triple
expansion type engines will propel the Min
nesota class, and each vessel win be sup
piled with twelve waterproof boilers. The
total ammunition Of each vessel will ag-
gregate 594.8 TONS so
| Following are the general dimensions and
| features of the Minnesota and her sister
ships:
Length Of load water line, $50 feet; ex-
IRENE breadth at load water line. 10 feet
| ten inches: trial displacement, 16, 600 tons:
| mean draft, "a feet 9 inches; gross draft.
| fun load, about q feet inches: total coal
| capacity, 200 tons.