The Mena weekly star., 1907-06-27
ID FECa DREADNAUGHI
Bids Opened in Washington for Con struction of two Monster 20,-
 900 Ton Battleships.
TO BE BETTER THAN TIE BRITISH VESSEL
Actual Weight of Hull and Armor Greater by 5000 Tons Than Larg- est 5attIeship So Far 5uilt-New- port News and Four River Com psnies Successful.

Washington. June 21--Bids were opened at the navy department at noon Thursday for the construction of two American "Dreadnaguhts" or what are officially known as battle ships Nos. 2S and 29, each to be of approximately 20,000 tons displace. mcnt. the cost of each not to exceed s6,000000, exclusive of armor and armament. The total cost of each when completed is estimated to be s10.o0o 900.
 The Newport News Shipbuilding company of Newport News, Va, wit one bid at s3.9S7.000 and the Fore River Shipbuilding company of Quincy Mass, with bid of s4,377.500, were the successful bidders.
 Responsive to the invitations of the navy department and in accordance with the instructions to the naval board on construction, there were sub mitted various designs and sketches for the proposed vessels from snip builders and naval constructors. These were in turn submitted to naval committee on designs, the head of which was Assistant Secretary New berry, which board reported that the 5l0 foot design of the bureau of con struction (with officers quarters for ward) was the most suitable. This board gave the opinion that vessel constructed on this design would car " as heavy armor and as powerful armament as any known vessel of this s class. would have speed believed to be the highest practicable for vessel of this type and class and have the highest practicable readiness Of ac- ton, with total coal bunker capacity of about 2,300 tons. a speed on trial of q anots, length on the load water line Of about 510 feet and an extreme breadth of about s5 feet and 2a Inches The armament is to be composed as follows:
 Main battery: Ten 12inch breech loading rifles Second battery; 14 D. inch rapid fire guns; four S-pounder saluting guns; four 1-pounder semi HutOi1dtlt wv othth iNih pieces; two machine guns, calibre 30; two submerged torpedo tubes. The hulls of the vessels are to be pro- tected by a water line belt of armor eight feet ip width, whose maximum thickness is II inches and whose cross-section Is uniform throughout the length of the belt. This belt ar nor gives effective protection to the boilers, machinery and magazine spaces. and most important of all for vessels of this type whose centers of gravity are necessarily very high af lords, in connection with the casemate armor. extensive compartmental sub division, a reasonable assurance of the maintenance of the stability of the vessel under battle conditions, The side above the main belt armor is seven feet three inches wide and of a maximum thickness of ten inches This armor is likewise of uniform sross-section throughout. and in length only slightly less than that of the main water line belt armor. Above he main casemate armor, amidships. he side Is covered by armor five nches in thickness, which affords pro ection to the smoke pipes, the ma or portion of the secondary battery If fiye-inch guns, and the hull struc- ure. Suitable athwart-ship and diag- nal bulkheads are to be located al he extreme ends of the belts and asemate armor, and protective deck f suitable thickness is provided throughout the length of the vessels.
 The arrangement of the main bat cry guns Is to be such as to permi
 broadside fire 25 per cent greater han that of the broadside of any bat leghip built, or, so far as known, un- CT construction The average eleva' lon of the axis of these guns is ex- ected to be greater than that of any nown battleship, thus affording a istinct advantage in long range fir. lg under all conditions of weather. he arrangement of the interior will such as to give the maximum de rec of protection to all vital DOT ons of the ship by means of unusu- ly effective compaFtmental sub-di-
 sions
 The actual total weight of hull and .mor in the proposed designs for the lips. is approximately 5000 tons
 eater than in the largest battleship far built The design contemplates arrangement for the installation of
 .t.>..,,catfney o,. snrhipa machinery