The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-20
Bids Opened at Navy Depart
ment for Their Construction.
Estimated Cost Complete Is
$1O,OOO,OOO for Each.
TO BE $40 FEET LONG
And Carry 1900 Tons of Coal
in Bunkers.
Main Battery Ten 10 Inch
Breech Loading Rifles.

Washington, June 20.--Bids were OPP
ened at the navy department today for
the construction of two American
"Dreadnaughts" or what are officially
known as battlcships Nos. % and 20,
each to be of approximately 10000 tons
displacement, the cost of each not to
exceed $4,000, 900. exclusive of armor and
armament. The total cost Of each when
completed. is estimated to be $4,000. 0O0
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 ship builders
and naval constructors. These were in
turn submitted to a naval committee
On designs, the. head of which was
Assistant Secretary Newberry, which
board reported that the $40 foot design
CT the bureau of construction, with Of
hcers quarters forward was the most
suitable. This board save the opinion
that vessel COZ structed on this de-
sign would carry as heavy arrnor and as
powerful armament as any known YES
sci CT this class; would have a speed
believed to be the highest practicable
for vessel of this type and class and
have the highest practicable readiness
of action, with a total coal bunker ca
pacity of about 1900 tons, a speed on
trial or Il knots, length on the load
" alter line CT abCEt sic feet and an ex-
treme breadth OF about So feet and
25s inches.
The armament is to be composed as
follows:
Main battery: Ten 12-inch breech
loading rifles.
Second battery: Fourteen 5-inch rap
id fire Su< s; four 3-ponder saluting
guns: four 1-pounder semi-automatic
guns; two 3-inch field pieces; two ma
cd
torpedo tubes
ArmOr Eleven Inches Thick
The hulls of the vessel are to be
protected by a water line belt of armor
eight feet in width, whose maximum
thickness is eleven inches and whose
cross section is uniform through
out the entire length of the belt This
belt armor gives effective protection to
the boilers, machinery and ma gazine
spaces and most important of all for
vessels of this type whose centers of
gravity are necessarily very high, af-
fords, in connection with the casemate
{ rmOr, extensive compartmental sub
division, a reasona BILE assurance Of the
maintenance of the stability of the YES
sci under battle conditions. The side
armor above the main belt armor is to
be seven feet three inches wide and of
maximum thickness of ten inches.
This armor is likewise of uniform cross
section throughout and in length is
only slightly less than that of the
main water line belt armOr. Above the
main easement armor, amidships the
side is covered by armor five inches in
thickness, Which affords protection to
the smoke pipes, the major portion of
the secondary battery of five inch guns
and the hull structure. Suitable
athwart- ship and diagonal bullsheads
are to be located at the extreme ends
of the belts and casemate armor, and
protective deck of suitable thickness is
provided throughout the length of the
vessels.
The arrangements of the main bat
terry guns is to be such as to permit
a broadside fire 25 per cent greater
than that Of the broadside fire of any
ba ttleship built, or SO far as known
undtr construction. The average ele-
walton Of the axis of these guns is ex-
pected ID be greater than that of any |
known battleship thus affording a dis |
tinct advantage in long rangs firing un- !
der all conditions of weather. The ar
langements of the interior will be such |
as tC give the maximum degree of pro- |
lection to all portions of the ship by |
means of compartmental subdivisions. |
The actual total weight of hull and |
Grmcr in the proposed designs for the |
ship is approximately 5000 tons greater |
than in the largest battleship so far |
built. The design contemplates an ar
for the installation of re- |
or turbine machinery.