Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-20
BIDS OPENED FOR
GREAT WARSH|PS
Proposals for Building Largest
Vessels in the Navy.
NEWPORT NEWS is LOWEST
Fore River Company Also Assured of
an Award.
THR0NG AT NAVY DEPARTMENT
More Persons Interested in Marine
Architecture Assembled Than Have
Been Seen for Months.
NEWPORT NEWS IS LOWEST
THRONG AT NAVY DEPARTMENT

The Newport News Shipbuilding Company
Of Newport News, Va, with one bid at
S.9S7 600, and the Fore River Shipbuilding
Company Of Quincy, Mass, with a bid at
4.377.OOO. were the lowest bidders today for
building the new 2o,0OO-ton battleships.
Bids were opened at the Navy Depart
ment at noon for the construction Of the
two American "Dreadnaughts." or what
are officially known as battleships numbers
p and %. the cost Of each not to exceed
100000. exclusive Of armor and arma-
ment. The total cost Of each when COM
pleted, Is estimated to be S1O,OOOOOO. The
bidding brought together the largest COM
pany OF shipouilders and other persons in
terested in naval construction that has been
seen in the Navy Department for many
months.
The bidding itself was necessarily COM
pick. the builders freely availing themselves
of the departments permission to submit
all sorts OF combinations and alternative
plans. These included straight bids on the
battleship of the standard type. with recip-
rocating engines designed by the Navy De-
partment itself; original bidders designs
and combinations of the department hull
plans, with turbine engines: some with and
some without separate cruising turbines.
The Newport News company alone sub
mitted no less than seven sets of plans
and it was noted that they were generally
the lowest at all points and with all COM
binations. But as the law provides that
no company shall receive the contract for
more than one ship, the second lowest bid
der is also assured Of an award, in this case
the company being the Fore River Ship
building Company of Quincy. Mass.
Details Of the Bids
The bids In substance were as follows:
Fore River Shipbuilding Company,
Quincy, Mass, one ship on the depart
ment's plans to be delivered in thirty-six
months, $4,4so.0Oo; hull and equipment on
the departments plans, bidders Curtis
turbine engines. $4.377, 600. Cruising tur-
bines not required in this type.)
Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, the depart
ment's plan. time thirty-six months, s., 1OO.-
600. Departments hull and equipment,
bidders Parsons turbine engines $5,05O,-
coo; cruising turbines, $4,000 additional.
Another design with departments hull and
equipment and bidders Parsons turbine
engines. 5000, 600; cruising turbines, $780,
600 additional.
Newport News Shipbuilding Company,
50. 9S7 900. Departments hull and equip
ment bidders Parsons turbine engines;
Thorneycroft-Schultz boilers, ST. 10000, in
Guiding cruising turbines. Another design,
departments hull and equipment bidders
Parsons turbines-same boilers as above
$4.O50,O0O. Design includes separate cruis-
ing turbines. Another design, same hull
and turbines, 81 100 900, including cruising
turbines, $4.O90.O00. design Including cruis-
ing turbines. Another design, same hull
and turbines, 81, 125. 900. including cruising
turbines. Another design. same hull and
turbines, $4,O5o,e 600, including cruising tur-
bineS
New York Shipbuildng Company Of Cam
den. N. j.. departments design. S4,545. 900
Departments hull and equipment. bidders
machinery reciprocating engines, $4,000,
600. Departments hull and equipment,
bidders Parsons turbines with separate
cruising turbines, s., $50 600.
The bids have been referred for exam
ination to the board of naval construction,
which will recommend proper awards
Armor for the Ships.
Bids were opened today also for supply
ing the armor needed for the two big bat
tleships. For the armor, which is divided
into four classes on the basis Of the diff
Guilty of the shapes required, the Midvale
Steel Company appeared to be the lowest
bidder for the largest class; that is. 1856
tons of class at $40 per ton. For this
class the Carnegie and Bethlehem COM
panies each bid $500 For $50 tons of armor
in class the Carnegie and Bethlehem
companies bid each 500 per ton. while the
Midvale bid was $40. For 800 tons of class
c armor the Carnegie and Bethlehem each
bid 500 and the Midvale $41O. For 1,O76
tons of class D armor Bethlehem bid $4OO;
Midvale $40 and Carnegie no bid.