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16 M A R I N E two months for the sum of $1,689,000 or two cruisers on the department plans to be delivered both in thirty-two months at $1,666,000 each. The Bath Iron' Works, Bath, Me. Class 1.--One cruiser on the department plans to be delivered in thirty-two months for the sum of $1,774,000 or two cruisers as above each to be delivered in thirty-two months for the sum of $1,729,000 each. Class 1.--One cruiser on the department plans except that the twelve boilers to be as per the firm's Class 2-C bid to be delivered in thirty-two months for the sum of $1,- 767,000, or for the sum of $1,738,000 on condition that the firm is also awarded the contract for one other vessel under their Class 2 bids. Note. It will be understood that this proposal for one vessel stipulates a price of $1,767,000 in case the company receives the contract for the one vessel alone but makes the lower quotation of $1,738,000 in case this vessel under department plans is awarded in conjunction with,--or as Mr. Hyde expresses it "coupled up"--with one vessel under the Class 2 proposals. The Bath Iron Works, Bath, Me. Class 2-C----One cruiser with Parsons' turbines; guaranteed speed of 24% knots; twelve Norman boilers; three shaft arrangement; cruising turbines; to be delivered in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,671,000, or two cruisers under this Class 2-C proposal each to be delivered in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,623,000 each. The Bath Iron Works. Class 2-C No. 1.--One cruiser, Parsons' turbines; twelve Norman boilers; three shaft ar- rangement; no cruising turbines; speed 24% knots; to be delivered in thirty-six months; for the sum of $1,639,000, or two cruisers under this Class 2-C No, 1 proposal, each to be delivered in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,595,000 each. The Bath Iron Works. Class 2-D.--One cruiser with Parsons' turbines; eight Norman boilers; three shaft ar- rangement; cruising turbines; to be delivered in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,654,000, or two cruisers under Class 2-D both to be delivered in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,606,000 each. The Bath Iron Works. Class 2-D No. 1.--One cruiser, Parsons' turbines; eight Norman boilers; no cruising tur- bines; to be delivered in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,611,000, or two cruisers under this Class 2-D No. 1 each to be delivered in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,573,000 each. The Bath Iron Works. Class 2-E.--One cruiser Parsons' turbines; twelve Norman boilers; four shaft arrangement; cruising turbines; speed 2414 knots to be delivered in thirty- six months at $1,688,000, or two cruisers under these Class 2-E proposals both to be delivered in thirty-six months at $1,640,000 each. The Bath Iron Works. Class 2-E No. 1.--One cruiser with Parsons' turbines; twelve Norman boilers; four shaft arrangement; no cruising turbines; speed 24% knots; to be completed in thirty-six months; for the sum of $1,658,000 or two cruisers under this Class 2-E No. 1 proposal both to be completed in thirty-six months at $1,610,000 each. Bath Iron Works. Class 2-F--One cruiser Parsons' tur- bines; eight Norman boilers; four shaft arrangement; cruis- ing turbines; to be completed in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,671,000 or two cruisers under this Class 2-F pro- posal each to be completed in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,622,000 each. 2 Bath Iron Works. Class 2-F No. 1.--One cruiser Parsons' turbines; eight Norman boilers; no cruising turbines; to be completed in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,640,000, or two cruisers under this Class 2-F No. 1 proposal both to be completed in thirty-six months for the sum of $1,592,000 each. ad Re bo ve bk no} 'Fore River Ship Building Co., Quincy, Mass. Class 1.-- One cruiser on the department's plans to be delivered in thirty months for the sum of $1,629,000, or two cruisers on the department's plans to be delivered in thirty months and thirty-one months respectively for $1,557,000 each. Fore River Ship Building Co. Class 2--One cruiser, bid- der's plans; Curtis marine turbines; Fore River water tube boilers: to be delivered in thirty-four months for the sum of $1,540,000 or two cruisers under this specification, one to be delivered in thirty-four months and the other to be de- livered in.thirty-five months for the sum of $1,468,000 each. _ Fore River Ship Building Co. Bid No. 3.--One cruiser on the department plans with reciprocating engines and Fore River water tube boilers to be delivered in thirty months at $1,598,000 or two cruisers under this specification to be de- livered in thirty and thirty-one months respectively, at $1,- 524,000 each. ; Fore River Ship Building Co. Class 2----One cruiser with Curtis marine turbine; to be delivered in thirty-four months for the sum of $1,572,000 or two cruisers of this design to be delivered in thirty-four and thirty-five months respectively at $1,500.000 each. Fore River Ship Building Co. Class 2.--Two cruisers, one with Curtis marine turbines and Fore River boilers, the other with reciprocating engines; the first mentioned to be de- livered in thirty-four months and the second mentioned to be delivered in thirty months for the sum of $1,525,000 each. Fore River Ship Building Co. Class 2--Two cruisers, one with Curtis marine turbine, and the other with reciprocating engines, to be delivered in thirty-four and thirty months re- spectively, at $1,556,000 each. Note.--In explanation of bids such as the immediate fore- going wherein no point of difference is discernible save in price it may be explained that the divergence is found in the arrangement of boilers. The one class of bids con- template the arrangement of boilers on the department's plans involving the use of four smokestacks whereas the alternative bids stipulate the arrangement of boilers on the Bowles plan necessitating the use of but three smokestacks and in en- abling various economies according to the assertion of Mr. F. T. Bowles of the Fore River company. DESCRIPTION OF THE CRUISERS. The plans and specifications for these scout cruisers cover an entirely new type, as far as the United States navy is concerned, and the various features of the design have been given the most careful consideration. The estimated speed, 24 knots, is greater than that of any other cruiser of the navy, and is exceeded only by that of the torpedo boats and destroyers, and while it is slightly less than that of the Eng- lish scouts now building, the difference in speed is more than compensated for by the ability to maintain the high speed of all conditions of weather, more than twice the coal capacity of the English scouts, and, consequently, a greatly increased radius of action. The plans as fully developed call for a vessel of the fol- lowing characteristics: Length between perpendiculars, 420 ft.; length over all, 423 ft. 2 in.; breadth, molded, 46 ft. 8 in.; draught, fully loaded, 19 ft. 1%4 in.; depth amidship, molded, 36 ft. 5 1-16 in.; displacement, fully loaded, 4,640 tons; displace- ment on trial, 3,750 tons; draught on trial, 16 ft. 914 in.; total coal capacity, 1,250 tons; coal on trial, 475 tons; feed water total, 100 tons; feed water on trial, 50 tons; maximum speed, average of 4 hours run, 24 knots; steaming radius at 10 knots per hour, about 6,250 knots; steaming radius at full speed, about 1,875 tons; maximum indicated horse power, main engines, est., 16,000 tons; indicated horse power auxil- jaries, 400 tons; time allowed for completion, thirty-two months, The freeboard of the vessel is greater than that of any