Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-11-19
NAVY YARD BIDS
THE LOWEST
Battleship Figures of Private Con-
Germs Exceed Limit.
GOVERNMENT MAY BUILD CRAFT.
Outside Constructors Will Probably Get
a Chance to Scale Estimates, War
Forces Up Cost.

Because OF the apparent failure OF
private bidders to keep their propos-
ais within the sT,S0O 600 limit of cost
set by Congress for the hulls and ma
chinery of battleships Nos. AZ and A,
bids for which were opened Tuesday at
the Navy Department. at Washington,
construction Of both vessels may be
undertaken at Government yards.
The New York and Philadelphia
Government plants submitted esti-
mates of less than S7,00000O each for
ships propelled by the combination
steam and electric drive to be used in
the new superdreadnaught now build
ing at the New York yard
These were the lowest bids. and the
same yards also submitted the lowest
figures for ships equipped with Par
sons steam turbines. the basis of all
but oe of the private bids. The Mare
Island yard. with an estimate of ST.
418.165 for turbine ship, was the next
lowest. The lowest private bid was
that of the Fore River Shipbuilding
Company. which submitted four alter
nate proposals. Each was made under
stipulated notifications of the Depart
ment's specifications. which apparent
ly would bring the total cost far above
the 81 500, 900 maximum
The bids of the other two private
bidders, the New York Shipbuilding
Company, and the Newport News Ship
building Company, also propose modi-
fcatiOns. and careful study will be
necessary before the exact cost of the
ships can be determined under each
bid. Pending the result of the study
Secretary Daniles was unwilling to
say what course he would follow
should all the private bids be outside
the limit set by Congress. It is under
stood however, that an effort win be
made TO induce the ship companies to
their figures before it is determined to
give the work to the navy yards
The Secretary made it clear that he
believed it necessary to equip two
more Government yards for battleships
building, regardless of the final de-
eieion as to the pending bids. The
New York yard is the only one so
equipped now. but the Philadelphia
and Mare Island yards can be made
ready for big jobs at relatively small
expense. The hulls and machinery of
the new battleships Mississippi and
Idaho were contracted for at $7,1l5,-
600 and S7,250,O00, with various quail
iications. such as stipulations that the
Government must assume all insur-
ance charges. pay for test trials and
supply much portable material re-
quired to be furnished by the contrac-
itor in the advertised specifications
and providing for the substitution of
cheaper grades of steel and timber
than specified. The advance in cose
is attributed largely to the present
European war.
New hull construction due to plans
to lessen the danger from torpedo at
tack occasioned some of the increase.
Several bids, however, rejected the
stipulation that changes in this bulk
head construction could be made by
the Government at any time within
three months after the contract award,
should new information on the sub
ject be obtained.
While the Departments specifca-
tions called for bids on turbine-driven
ships. navy officials indicate that there
was on disposition to await trial of
the California's electric machinery be-
fore installing this radical departure
in propelling plants in other new
ships. Recent additional tests of the
electric drive on the collier Jupiter
have convinced the departments ex-
perts that it is not only cheaper to in
stall. but more economical in opera
ton. No private bidder ever has pre-
sented figures on this type of ship.
Bids for armor for the new ships
were also opened on Tuesday, and
showed little increase in price since
the last armor contracts were award
ed. The Carnegie company was low
bidder for the first-class armor for
both ships at S425 ton.