The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-24
Bios FOR GREAT
NARSH | J
Cra,np & Co. Will III Build 10000.
Ton Sea Fig liter for "a
$3,54o, 900. q. q
10 HAVE WIRELESS Z OUTFIT " II
a5ft.
Every ecaution 4 Taken Ike: to e II Tn
sure against Fl : 2 inc n
sions Of Ships.
10 NAV WIRELESS B OUTFIT | ! 1
81 ~ Z 40 ~ "a I, Z Z
ny !, "a ocIlated Press.)

!: /. WASHINGTON. June 81 Bids were
open Cd to.day y at the navy department. 4 on
the proposed Is 60 ton battleships Michi--;
gan and South Carp pima: iithorised by an an
act Of congress approved March 20 1so5. 4sii
were tho lowest bidders on class \ in
which the ma chinery a nd hull re- de- g
scribed y by the depar tmen t.ss Their big
for i battlestllp OF the ella So Of the South
.Carolna ana Niichiga was IS, $40, 900 SsF
The / Nav. York shipbuilding Company
offered the ne bid II this c 'lf 81
1855. 900. c;
Newport News Bids.
In class two there we're q great variety
OF bids, ana the prices varied according
to the plans OF the various shipyards
for machinery Under this. class the ma
chinery may be OF the turbine type. 11e
lowest bid In this GLASS was that Of tho
Fore River shipbuilding Company, for
S3.4S9, 900. This bid Is on g ship equipped
with turbines: sf5s @
S AS 1T Is generally believed that the
+ depa rtmentf viii award the contract sin
class one for both OF the ships, interest
centered chiefly In the bids OF tha i class,
The bid Of the Newport News Shipbuld-
ing and Dry Dock Company on this class
was IS, Ga, o0o and the Union Iron Works,
81 San Francisco, bid s .26p, 600. The
complete list OF bids In class two %tt,l oVs:
&e.5 The New. y Dirk shipbuilding Company.
With turbine engines, 50, 800. ooo as and
$3.50, 900. sass $S}
43. Newport News shipbuidlng and Dry
Dock Company. %, 81. 900. %, s63, 900.
s3,7b3.O00 and 49, $4,000. The last three
bids provide for turbines.
The Fore River shipbuilding Company.
turbines, $3.s4b, 200. 1880 900, 50, 719 900,
IS. $50, 900, 4 80, $50. 900.
William cramp and Company Ship and
Engine Company, 81, 100. 900. .sf
Dimensions of Vessels.
E Tho new battleships are to he $50 feet
long and will have ali extreme breadth at
tho water line OF so feet rs nchcs. he
mean draft at trial Z lsplacementl$is not
to exceed "a feet 8 inches. The coal bunk
or capacity OF the ships will be 2. 200 tons
each. IA VI s;,3 as5 5i1S59i.
55s5 Each ship Will have q main battery Of
ieightt12-inch$ breech: loading rifles and two
submerged torpedo tubes. The secondary
battery OF each OF the battleships will
iconsistlof twenty-five f3.inchl IA pounder)
Srapld-fre guns. two 3-pounder semi
matte guns eight l-pounder seml'auto-
matte guns. two s-ineh field pieces. four
machines guns Of calibre 80, The 12-inch
guns will be installed In pairs In four
neutrality-suspicious. balanced elliptical
turrets on the center limo, two forward
and two aft, each with an arc OF fire OF
about 40 degrees. A secondary battery
OF 3-inch 8-pounder and minor alibre
guns will be installed in commanding po-
sitions, with large unobstruoted arcs OF
FIRE, s Isl. Fl II 553 ~
4 The two torpedo tubes and accessories
Will be Installed In a submerged torpedo
room forward. t35S 3saS5 5is
The hull OF the new battleship Is to be
protected by q waterllne belt eight feet
wide, varying In thickness from eight to
twelve inches, Caaemate armor OF corre-
spending thickness and breadth will fex-
{ tend from the top OF the side sarmor belt
to q level eight feet above, The bar
front and the coming tower will be
twelve inches thick. which Is also the
thickness of the turret armor. Complete
1 belts Of eel ulose Will encircle the shipto
automatically close up holes made by shot
below the water Level,
Powerful Engines,
i These VESSELS will be driven by engines
or 1850 horsepower, four cylinder, trlple
Expansion In typo, supplled with steam by
twelve Water-tubo boilers and supevheAt-
fers The smokepipes OF these new ships
VIII be 100 feet high and steel masts for-
ward and att will be equipped with Wire
less telegraphy outfits, Every precauton
8isf taken to In sure against flre and all In
the liYlng spaces are to be sheathed will,
metal, backed with 4 : IN ch ana one-half
Tha maximum time to be allowed for
completion Of these pa tleshtps Will be
fGrtyrtwo months. anu heavy penalty Is
provided for delay. Not more than one OF
the vessels can be built under the act pro-
Stding for them BY one contr tor,