New-York tribune., 1905-04-24
THE scout CRUISERS.

Bids were opened at Washington few days
ago for the construction of Il new class OF
cruisers Congress has authorized three of
these vessels, nOminally for scouting. and tho
Navy Department proposes that they shall de-
Velop speed of twenty -four and a half knots
thus proving much faster than any warship
that now flies the Stars and Stripes.
When the propositions made by various build
ers 10 the government are compared a percepti-
bic diversity in price is discovered Under GER
tain conditions one firm is willing to supply the
cruisers-Or at least two of them-fOr 81, ,46S, 900
each whereas another wants 81 S75 900 apiece
or nearly 30 per cent more. Pecuniary cOnsid-
erations alone cannot always be allowed TO
dominate when contracts are to be awarded
but a saving of 100000 or 100000 on each of
the new cruisers is not TO be despiSed 1t is a
fortunate circumstance that the minimum sum
is demanded by Il firm that has Il good reputa-
ton for the quality of its work and for con-
formity 10 pledges
Less difference is noticeable in the length OF
time in which the bidders promise to deliver
the ships One will do in thirty and thirty
one months, another wants thirty-One and thir-
ty-two, and still another thirty-two and thirty
six months for the first and second of a pair.
respectively. The government doubtless meant
TO allow much latitude in this matter and it
is not under any obligation to accept any of the
bids. II probably will accept one or more of
them but two and half and three years is
rather long time to spend on vessels having a
displacement of only .. 80 tons. Big battleshipS.
diSplacing 1900 or 5000 seldom take over
three four years. 1t is not unlikely that the
Connecticut and the Louisiana will both be ready
for trial in less than thirty-SiX months from the
laying of their keels. Some day the Navy De.
partment viii probably feel justified in urging
still more rapid work than that; and if it had
insisted upon having the scout cruisers in two
years or less its attitude could hardly have been
regarded as unreasonable
One other feature Of the propositions now un-
der review has a popular as we'll as a techni-
cal, interest. The government has determined
il is believed. to make a trial of the steam tur-
bine in these reSsels In committing itself TO
that policy for the first time the United States
has been a little tardy, but the delay is com
mendable Even yet there is some uncertainty
about the relative merits of the two types OF
turbine which are to-day best known II is CON
sdered probable that the government will try
them both introducing the Curtis engine which
is of American origin, into one or two Of the
scouts AMI using the Parsons engine I'm tho
remaining one or two.
In the manner of applying the power Of these
motors To the work Of propulsion there will
undoubtedly be some variety. Under the Chr
ts system il is likely that two shafts land
screws) will be employed each shaft belne,
actuated by what Is practically a complete and
I Indanendeuf engine. Most Of the merchant
steamers and war vessels which have Parsons
engines are equipped with three shafts. the
middle one being rotated by high pressure
cylinder ana the others by low pressure eylin-
ders. all three constituting single engine