The Washington times., 1907-06-19
WARSHIP BIDS
FEW AND NAVY
HEADS WORRY
Only Five Proposals for
Twin Dreadnought
Type BattleshipS.
Pacific Coast Not Repre-
Sented in Contest for
Contract.

Competition among shipbuilders for
the contract Of building the two new
American battleships OF the Dread
nought type. is not believed by the Of
flcials of the Navy Department 10 be as
keen as they would like, and there is
apprehension in some quarters that
there may be disappointment in
store for them when the proposals Tor
the ships are opened at y o'clock To-
morrow.
1t IS known that there are not more
than five bidders. Representatives OF
some of these builders already are IN
Washington, but the Navy Department
has received an intimation that one.
and possibly two, Of the biggest com
panies. whose bids are most earnestly
desired. are not in the contest. Just
why this is thought to be is not ex-
planned
Pacific Coast Bids Lacking.
Secretary Metcalf is said TO be con-
Eiderably disappointed that there will
be no bidding from the Pacific coast,
as he Is understood to have desired
that one OF the ships be launched In
the Pacific.
Bids were advertised for April 90 AT
that time the Navy Department COM
municated with the Union Iron Works,
at San Francisco. and the Moran Broth
ers' ShipbUilding Company, at Seattle.
inviting them 10 enter the competition.
Both declined TO enter. saying they could
not afford TO compete with the Eastern
builders because OF the unsettled labor
conditions and the fact that building
material is higher in the West than in
the East. Invitations also we're extend
ed 10 each of the five shipbuilding COM
panies in the East. ad1udECd by the
Board OF Naval Constructors as capable
OF producing ships Of the extraordinary
size. All OF these companies accepted,
but Il is not believed that all viii sub
the Fore River Shipbuilding Company,
William Cramp * Sons, Bath Iron
Works. Newport News Shlpbulldlng
Company, and the New York Shipbuild-
ing Company.
Decision for Private Contract.
The Navy Department has taken every
precaution to have these proposals
come up to the desired standard. While
opinion has been divided among Secre-
tary Mctcalf, members Of the General
Board. and the Board Of Naval Con-
structOrs. as TO whether the ships should
be built by the Government or by pri-
vate contract. the decision was event
ually In favor Of the latter. The Brook
=
the Government might build ships OF
this size. and there would be undesired
delay in attempting to produce both at
the same yard.
The Navy Department has made a
close study OF these proposed ships,
however. and statements have been
laid before Chief Naval Constructor
Capps an1 Secretary Metcalf by the
Board of Naval Constructors who eN-
amined into the cost. length of time re-
quired, ETC. from the point Of view OF
Government constructors Estimates
were called for from both the Brooklyn
and Norfolk navy yards. Proposals or
the private builders viii be carefully
compared with these estimates, and II
they do not tally fairly well, IL is like
ly that all will be rejected.
Cost 10000, 900 Each.
1t is desired to have the contract let
by July l. II possible. with the stipula-
ton that the ships shall be completed
for delivery to the Government within
three years from that date.
The act Of Congress Of a year ago.
authorizing one battleship OF the Dread
nought type. provided that Il should be
as formidable, in size. speed. and arma-
ment. as any ship then afioat or known
10 be under contemplation OF construc-
ton, in any foreign navy. The plans
were slightly modified by Congress last
December. when the second battleship
of the same type was authorized.
The ships are to cost 5000 900 each
for construction. and S4OOO.o00 additional
for arms and armament. They are to
have 2O.OOo tons displacement and
speed Of twenty-one knots on trial