Three-fourths of the warships that are now under construction for the United States Navy are anywhere from six months to two years behind the degree of completion called for in the various contracts covering their building. As a result of this state of affairs, the government will exact large sums of money from the contractors in the way of penalties, and some of the builders will file counterclaims for damages against the government.
In June and August of this year the battleships Maine, Missouri and Ohio should be turned over to the government, according to the terms of the contracts governing the construction. The vessels were contracted for in October, 1898.
The members of the Board of Construction are now trying to decide what batteries they shall place on the battleships that were appropriated for in March, 1899. Thus the curious spectacle is presented to the naval powers of Europe of our experts spending almost two years in determining what kind of guns to put on our battleships.
The Honolulu Republican, Honolulu, HI, February 24, 1901