Show BIDS FOR 1 AJlS IPS Ship Builders and Metal Kings1 Assemble in = a NavaIBtii f WitncssQp g J 1 I of Proposals i Sum Involved in the Contracts About Fifty Millions of DollarsSec i retary Long Denominated theNaval Construction Proposed a I the Greatest Industrial Event Thi s or Any Other Country Has i Ever SeenEighty Bidders for Building the Fighting Machines Washington Dec 7Ncver since the I birth of the new navy has there been of shipbuilders and such a gathering ahlpbuiders the I In were assembled metal kings as te office of the Secretary ot the Navy today ofce for day to witness the opening of bids an amount of naval construction which Secretary ron denominated as the eatest Industrial event this or any greatest other country had ever seen Involving the placing of contracts for about 55 000000 OOOOO The Secretary left the Cabinet meet lhe at tho C of presiding Ing for the purpose Associated with him were ceremony Asoclate wlh the chiefs of tho great naval bureaus Admiral HIchborn Admiral Melville Admiral ONeil and others and most bidders There were eight of the bids were well within the HmlUj the for of cost allowed by Congress ships Tho notable feature was the attempt at-tempt of the younger and smaller firms to break the line of the older organizations organiza-tions which have constructed all lie I tOI vessels of the new navy up to this tmc I While it i not possible at this moment to forecast results accurately ment fOlecasl resul indications Unit In at least there instance arp indlcatonn perhaps in two instances I one stances these allcmpts will be attended < for lUooks with home degree of success IL loks BOle degrcc uu is thought some of the work will River com the Foie bcslowcd upon FOc pany which appears for the llrsl lluio us a bidden for constructing armored ships The Pacific coast too presents I a likely candidate In the Morass bid lkely the specifications Because changes made in fications the general tendency oC which Is 1 to reduce considerably the equipment equip-ment of ships It is not possible yet to tell which of the bids are actually the Lel lowest As read they are 3 follows ARMORED CRUISERS Union lion Works San Francisco one sheathed and coppered S3SOOOOO One without sheathing 53750000 Another An-other under the same conditions 3 760000 making two In all William Cramp Sons Philadelphia one sheathed but uncoppcred oSOO000 unsheathed 3780000 ono u13heathed Newport News Shipbuilding com lewport sheathed und coppered 3 pany one copperet SSoOCK JnUY one without iheathlng 3775 000 thIs for two ships Moran Bros Co Seattle Wash one sheathed and coppered lliiJOOO or two at 1008000 each One without sheathing 53063000 or two at 5881000 each Fore River Shipbuilding and Locomotive Loco-motive Works Qiiincy Mass one sheathed and coppered 3975000 or two at 3950000 each Without sheathing sheath-Ing one for 3800000 or two at 53775000 each The same bid also Is made for SS shins at the same price and two more oitiif f S fc4 < j IY VU mor L t C prce 3 I the same condlllons Sunder under lie act of 1300 The preceding bidders Moran Brothers t Co and the Newport New-port News company made similar propositions pro-positions John II Dialogue Sons Camden N J one unsheathed for 53S20COO Another An-other under the act of 1UCO at the same price 1 Rlsdou Iron 51c Locomotlve Works nn San Francisco fine without slieathlng 1075000 BATTLESHIPS Cramp Sons one sheathed and coppered cop-pered 53000000 Newport N < ws company one sheath ed and copoered 3593000 one unsheathed un-sheathed 3540000 Fore River works one fQr < 3ESOOOO or two for 3555000 each all sheathed and coppered Without sheathing one COPIcred for 3130000 or two for 3405000 each A bid also is submitted for two more at the same prices under the act of 1900 John H Dialogue and Son one sheathed and coppered 3100000 ane without sheathing 3200000 Another at the same figure under tho act of 1900Bath Iron works ono sheathed and coppered 3590000 New York Shielding company one sheathed and coppered 4200000 or two at 4175100 each without sheathing one for 4100000 or two for 4075000 each This firm offers to educe the time limit of completion six months lme Moran Brother Co Seattle one sheathed and coppered 3SG5000 or two at 3719000 each Without sheathing sheath-ing one fOI 3697000 or two for 3 5SC 000 each Bids also are made for two more at the same price under the net of 1900 This firm also offers to reduce re-duce the limit about six months 3460000 Union Iron works one unsheathed A naval board Avlll consider the bids and report on them The acts o Congress Con-gress limit tho cost of cruiser to 3 GOOOOO each nnd of the battleships to SI2COOOO for the sheathed and 1000000 for Ihe unsheathed Secretary Long expressed himself ns pleased with the result of the bidding so far a he could perceive it from the hasty reading of the his He fell that on liberal the whole the later were very |