The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-11-18
NAVY PLAN IS
TO PROBABLY.
BUILD SHIPS
Private Firms Want Too
Much for Building
Dreadnaughts.
NAVY YARDS ARE
ALL WITHIN LIMIT
In Some Instances Private
Firms Wanted ST, 00O, 600
More Than Yards.
NAVY YARDS ARE
ALL WITHIN LIMIT
az AssocuArEp PRrss.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Washington, Nov. 17.-Because of
the apparent failure of private bid
ders to keep their proposals within
congress- seven million, eight hum
dred thousand dollar limit Of the cost
for hulls. and machinery Of battle
ships numbers 43 and A, the con-
struction of both vessels may be at
navy yards.
The government is still considering
the bids, none which, when opened
today came within the limits.
Bids submitted by the New York,
Philadelphia and Mare island navy
yards, however, all fell within the
limit, most of them being below ST.
000, 900. The private companies of
fered bids for one ship each.
The navy yard estimates were based
on full specifications for the ships
without modification. The New York
yard figures were for turbine engines,
81 O69, 1923; for steam and electric
drive (similar to the plant designed
for the U. s. s. California;, Sc, 1885,
667; Philadelphia, turbine drive, &c.
916. AT; electric, $6,774,144; Mare
island, turbine, $7s418,156.
An additional expense for equip
ment Of the Philadelphia and Mare
island yards to build battleshps was
En1neserknnsted thet Ct Mare islznd
bsng fixed at $50 900, included ID the
bid.
Privste BIDS were a. follows, each
being accompanied by letters mcdi-
flying the specifications and eliminat-
ing material and machinery to be
supplied by the contractor:
New York Shipbuilding company
turbine drive, $7,700,0oo; time, 81
months.
Newport News Shipbuilding com
psny- turbine las specified), Sits,
900; time, 40 months; (2), turbine
alternative type), T,765, 900; time
40 months.
Fore River Shfpbuilding company
Turbine, $7,688 900; time, "a months
alternative bids, with increasing elm
nations in equipment, grade Of steel
ETC., ~, $7,6s4y 900; (2), $7,750, 900
/ (3), H,229, 800; time, "a months il
each case.
i The navy yards estimates all wer,
based on 36-inch construction pc
i Rod.
i The Mare island estimate said TIL
keel Of the ship proposed could not b
laid before September is, 1916, an
added that it was believed that woul
be the earliest date upon which neces
| sary steel could be secured.
Il Private bids all called attention +
rising prices for warship material du
to the European war and also pre-
j dicted delay beyond the "a month.
i construction period specified by tn
department.
1T looks on it's face" said Secre
tary Daniels, when reading Of til
bids had been concluded, "as one Z
the private bids were within the linn
Of cost authorized by congress; br
they win all be carefully examined
II Bids also were opened for the arme
for the two dreadnaughts. Fou
companies submitted proposals. Bic
on armour Of the first-class range
. from $746 a ton by the Midvale Ste
company, to $42T by the Cameg
!. Steel company. The Bethlehem Ste
company's bid was S436. On the se
ond grade the Carnegie company al.
was low bidder at $486 per ton, viii
on the third grade the Midvale b
was low at 1910. The Pittsburg Sore
and Bolt company was the only BIZ
: der for the lowest grade which con
II prises the steel bolts and fittings Wi
which armor is attached to battl
ships, it's proposal being $464 per to