Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-12-11
U.S.. NAVY YARDS
TO BUILD WARSH|PS
Given Contracts After Wilson Con.
fers With Daniels.
FAR BELOW PRIVATE BIDDERS
Work On Two Dreadnoughts to Be-
gin Next Year.


SECRETARY Daniels has announced
that contracts for the construction Of
battleships Nos. 43 and a, authorized
| by the last Congress. had been award
ed to the New York and Mare Island
navy yards. respectively.
The bids were: New York, ST.
690.925; Mare Island, S7,413156. The
decision to build the ships in the gov
eminent yards was reached at a con-
| ference between President Wilson and
Secretary Daniels in the latter's Office
Bids OF all private builders for these
ships exceeded the limit OF the cost
fixed by Congress.
The Secretary announced that he
would ask Congress to authorize the
equipment of the navy yard at Phil
adelphia for battleship construction at
a cost of approximately 1000 600 in
order 10 be better prepared for the
increased building program contem-
plated in the administration defense
plans.
Keels of battleships Nos 43 and "A
Mr.. Daniels said, could be laid in Au-
gust or September of next year The
battleship California, now building at
the New York yard, will be off the
ways by that time
The Mare Island estimate included
several hundred thousand dollars for
charging stocks to take a 32-ton ship.
Material for this work viii be purchas-
ed Immediately and contracted for the
structural steel of both ships probably
viii be awarded today.
In submitting its estimate, the New
York yard proposed to build either
turbine drive ship or one equipped
with the combined steam and electri-
cal machinery first authorized for a
heavy warship when this system was
decided upon for the California The
Mare Island yard estimated only tur-
bine drive vessel.
Secretary Daniels said decision
would be reached later as to whether
the electric drive system should be
installed on oneeor both of the new
ships. Estimates for electric drive
were lower than those of the straight
turbine type.
Secretary Daniels said his determi-
nation to order the construction of the
ships in the navy yards had been talk
ed over with the chairmen of the Sen
ate and House naval committees and
the reason for the decision explained TO
them. The last battleship construct
ed by the Navy, he said. had cost ST.
100000 for hull and machinery, but in
creased torpedo defenses in the new
ships would mean an additional cost
of $3.50, 900 to S175,0 600
Congress set the limit of cost for
each ship at $7,S00,O00, and the Secre-
tary said that while the department
would not hold itself to the estimates
submitted by the New York and Mare
Island navy yards. there was wide
margin between those figures and the
congressional limit The ships will re
quire 68,422 ,220 pounds of structural
steel, and bids recently received from.
steel companies show that it can be
obtained at less than the cost estimated
by the yards. Armor plate prices are
unchanged from last year.
Assurances have been received that
there there will be no delay in the de-
livery of any material Mr.. Daniels
expects both ships to be completed
within thirty-four months. Announce
ment has been made that bids for the
two fleet submarines authorized by the
last Congress would be opened at the
Navy Department February Is. Speci-
cations for boats designed TO have a
surface speed of 25 knots have been
sent out 10 prospective bidders.