The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-06-20
OPEN BIDS FOR
TWO MONITOR
bATTLEsH|Ps

Washington, June 20.-Bids will be open
ed at the navy department at noon today
for the construction of two American
"Dreadnoughts' or what are officially
known as battleships Nos. 2S and 20. each
90 be approximately 20,O0OO-tons displace-
ment the cost of each not to exceed
81, 10000 exclusive OF armor and arma-
ment. The total cost OF each when COM
pleted Is estimated TO be $10,OO0000 Re
spinsive to the invitations OF the navy de-
partment, and In accordance with the in
struction to the naval board on construc-
ton. there were submitted various designs
and sketches for the proposed vessels
from shipbuilders and the naval con-
structors These In turn were submitted
To n naval board on designs, at the head
of which was Assistant Secretary New
berry, which board reported that the So
foot design OF the bureau OF construction
with officers quarters forward). was the
most suitable.
This hoard gave the opinion that n YES
sci constructed on this design would carry
as heavy armor and as powerful arma-
ment as any known vessel Of this class (:
would have a speed believed TO be the
highest practicable for vessel OF this
type and class and have the highest prac-
ttcable readiness OF action with a total
coal bunker capacity OF about 10000 tons.
a speed on trial OF Fl knots, a length on
the load water line OF about $40 feet and
an extreme breadth OF about S5 feet and
25-s inches The armament Is to be COM
posed as follows:
Main battery-Ten Pinch breech-load-
ing rifles.
Secondary battery-Fourteen 5-inch ra-
pid-fre guns; four 3-pounder saluting
guns; four 1-pounder semi-automatc
guns; two 3-inch field pieces: two ma
chine guns. calibre g: two submerged tor
pedo tubes.
tected by a wateriine belt OF armor eight
feet I'm width. whose maximum thickness
is II inches and whose cross section Ia
uniform throughout the length of the belt.
This belt armor gives effective protection
TO the boilers. machinery and magazine
spaces, and affords in connection with the
oasemate armor. an extensive compart-
mental subdivision, a reasonable assur-
ance OF the maintenance OF the stability
OF the vessel under battle conditions.
The side above the main belt armor
is protected by armor seven feet three
inches wide and OF maximum thick
ness OF 10 inches. This armor Is like
wise OF uniform cross-secton through
out and In length is only slightly less
than that OF the main waterline belt
armor. Above the main casemate
armor. amidships. the side Is covered
by armor FIVE inches In thickness,
pipes. the major portion OF the sec
ondary battery OF five-inch guns and
the hull structure. Suitable athwart-
ship and diagonal bulkheads are to be
located at the extremities OF the belt
and casemate armor and n protective
deck OF suitable thickness Is provided
throughout the length OF the vessel
The arrangement OF the main bat
terry guns Is 70 b evch AZ 20 psyrtt
= srcafsfds nye Sf any Ssttaeshfp built,
or. so far as known, under construc-
tion. The average elevation OF the axis
OF these guns Is expected TO be greater
than that OF any known battleship. The
arrangement OF the interior will give
the maximum degree OF protection TO
all vital portions OF tho ship by means
of unusually effective compartmental
sub divisions. The actual total weight
ot the hull and armor in the proposed
designs for the ships is approximately
1000 tons greater than In the largest
90 far built The design
an arrangement for the
OF reciprocatinG 90 tur.
bine machinery.