SIXTIETH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 255. 1909. 777 Total under quartermaster, Marine Corps, two million six hundred and ninegg-eight thousand four hundred ollars. ‘ Total arine Corps, exclusive of public works, seven million forty- eight thousand three hundred and ten dollars and twenty-eight cents. INCREASE OF THE NAVY. Increase of the Navy. · That, for the purpose of further increasing the naval establish- S,§`,'Q’°""°1““°“”’° ment of the United States, the President is hereby authorized to have constructed two first—class battle shi s to cost, exclusive of VOL M_ p_ 12,,,, armor and armament, not exceeding six million dollars each, similar in all essential characteristics to the battle ship authorized by the Act making alpippopriations for the naval service for the fiscal year ending June t ieth, nineteen hundred and eight. - _ Five torpedo-boat destroyers, to have the highest practicable d6f{§y°,f;_"P°d°b°“° sipeed, and to cost, exclusive of armament, not to exceed eight hunred thousand dollars each. One ileet collier, of fourteen knots trial speed, when ca ing not °“° °°“*°"· · less than twelve thousand five hundred tons of ca o anriiybunker coal, to cost not exceeding nine hundred thousand ddhars. And the contract for the construction of said vessels shall be *""'°°"’°"""‘°‘“· awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to the lowest best res nsible bidder, having in view the best results and most expeditious diilivery; and in the construction of all of said vessels the provisions of the Act construction. of August third, eighteen hundred and eighty-srx, entitled "An Act V°l·“·P·’“· ` to increase the naval establishment/’ as to materials for said vessels, their engines, boilers, and machinery, the contracts under which they are built, the notice of any pro osals for the same; the plans, drawings, specifications therefor, ancijthe method of executing said contracts s all be observed and followed, and, subject to the provisions of this Act, all said vessels shall be built in compliance with the terms of said Act, and in all their arts shall be of domestic manufacture; and the steel material shall) be of domestic manufacture, and of the quality and characteristics best adapted to the various purposes for which it may be used, in accordance with specifications approved by the Secretary of the Navy, provided contracts izesmcuous. for furnishing the same in a reasonable time, at a reasonable price, and of the required riuality can be made with responsible parties, and of the two first-c ass battle ships provided for in this Act, not Q more than one shall be built hy one contracting party. _ _ For four submarine torpedo boats, in an amount not exceeding in ,,§,‘{§{'“"'*"° '°“`°d" the ag egate two million dollars, and the sum of three million dol- , lars is hereby appropriated toward said urpose and for the completion of submarine boats heretofore autlionzed: I)7'0’L"l;d€d, That the ggmuction in Secretary of the Navy may build any or all of the vessels authorized mv;-yam is combiin this Act in such navy-yards as he may designate, and shall build §Q§ff’“· °‘°‘• °f °‘°‘ any of the vessels herein authorized in such navy-yards as he may designate, should it reasonably appear that the persons, firms, or corporations, or the agents thereo , bidding for the construction of any of said vessels, have entered into any combination, agreement, or understanding, the effect, object, or purpose of which is to deprive the Government of fair, open, and unrestricted competition in letting contracts for the construction of any of said vessels. The Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized, in his discretion, m};*,§;{g>§§8{§f*fi,§;j to contract for or purchase one destroyer whose vitals are located below the normal load water line, such vessel to cost not to exceed four hundred thousand dollars and to have a speed not less than twenty-two knots; also two small vessels of similar construction having a speed of not less than sixteen knots and to cost not to exceed twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars each: Provided, That P~¤·¤¤·
