The Washington herald., 1917-01-20
Army and Navy News
Beat Serxaes c~yu-s ga.

pmcuty in obtaining satisfactory bids
tor the construction of scout cruisers
four OF which were authorized at the
last session of Congress, Is being ex-
perienced by the Navy Department
The only satisfactory bid received last
November was that Of the Seattle Con-
struction and Dry Dock Company, and
contract was placed for the construc-
ton OF one of these vessels. Bids were
opened at the Navy Department re-
Gently for the construction of the re-
naming three Of the type. and the only
bidder, the Fore River Shipbuilding Cor
poration, contemplated the construction
of but two vessels
The firm submitted two bids, one pro-
posing to build one vessel for s., 800. .ooG
or two for s5,s25, 900 each, one in forty
months and the other in forty-two
months. The other bid of this company
construction, plus a fixed percentage to
be agreed upon, or two vessels under the
| came terms.
Inasmuch as the limit of cost Is 1900,
900. the bids in definite terms could not
be accepted. The difficulty In considering
the other form of proposals arises from
the fact that there will be much diff
ference of opinion between the ship
builders and the naval authorities as tc
the determination of actual cost upor
which the percentage of profit is to be
based. Unless this can be satisfactorily
adjusted, II looks as though the Secre-
tary of the Navy would have to appeal
to Congress for an increase in the limit
Of cost, an incident which has already
been anticipated in the hearings which
have occurred before the House Nsva
Committee.
Military authorities are working hard
on the problem Of the character of de-
fenses to be placed at Taboga lslano' al
the Colon end of the Panama Canal.
The island has been selected as site
for some important military works. par
ticularly to obtain a disbursing OF arma'
ment. and so avoid a dangerous concen.
tration OF armament Guns OF sumclen'
power mounted at that place Will. II Is
planned. serve as protection asaihs'
hostile FIRE upon American warships com
ing out OF the Canal TO engage the enemy
under which conditions, OF course. de-
Tending feet would be at the disadvantage
of column formation head on.
It is however, a question whether tht
supporting armament on Taoosa lsiano
would not itself be subject to concen'
trated attack by a line Of hostile vessels
drawn up in an arc Of which that isiano
should be the center and which should oe
. FAR enough out 10 Dc Dts OiN
Of the guns at the mouth of the Canal
This is a very important question. IL hai
been said that, II possible. the guns or
Taboga Island should be so mounted
! behind the so-called central range OF tna'
island that they would be sheltered from
| the FIRE OF vessels directly beyond the
island, in the proIonsation Of line between
| the mouth Of the Canal and the islano
and. consequently, be incapable OF deliv'
ering a fire out In that direction, al
| though being able to deliver their nre III
| such a direction that a feet drawn w
With the mouth OF the Canal as center
would be subject 10 II. That is VerS
dif1cuIt matter to accomplish. and tht
exact position of the guns on Taooga
Island has not been fixed. being sun
| matter Of discussion.
However, II may be said that the NOR
lars which are going ON Tsooga lsianc
will be sheltered from fire in any direc'
ton: they can be placed, as most OF th'
American mortars are placed, unoei
cover. and by their fire they can kee1
| hostile vessels away. or at least can keeI
them away to a greater distance from The
| mouth of the Canal than the foruhca
tions at the mouth Of the Canal alone
can keep them. In addition TO all OF these
matters comes the subject OF the IN
creased range Of guys on the latest bat
| .