C. Schedule of the iron required for iron steamer to be built on Lake Erie, deduced from schedules A and B. No. 3. CIRCULAR. NAVY COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE, April 21, 1842. SIR The Board of Navy Commissioners, having been authorized to request proposals from steam engine builders, for building and putting up the engines and boilers required for the steamer building for service on Lake Erie, enclose, herewith, a blank form, which specifies the particular classification of the work with reference to prices for the different parts, and which, it is believed, will be found mutually advantageous to the persons who may contract and to the Government. The boilers (of which there will be two) are to be of iron, and will be of the kind usually called leg boilers, with water bottoms the whole length, and one tier of return flues, with openings through the front or back for cleaning them. They are to be so arranged as to have the flues of both terminate in one chimney, and also in such a manner as that either one boiler or both may be used at the same time. They are to be braced on the flat parts with socket or other braces, as may be directed, eight inches from centre to centre, and the arched parts at proper distances, to give the boiler equal strength throughout. The engines are to be of the description known as the inclined low pressure or condensing engines. The cylinders are to be thirty-six inches diameter, and have a stroke of eight feet. The water wheel and centre shafts are to be of wrought iron, and not less than ten and one-half inches diameter in the journal. All the parts of the engines are to be put up on board the vessel, either on the stocks or after she is launched, at the port of Erie, on Lake Erie, as may be directed, unless otherwise specially directed by the Secretary of the Navy; and the United States are to be at no expense for the transportation of any of the articles furnished by the contractor. If you should be disposed to undertake the building of the engines and boilers for this vessel, you will be pleased to fill the proper blanks in the enclosed form, (in words, not in figures,) and procure the signatures in the proper places of the persons who are willing to become your sureties, that such information may be obtained respecting them as may be considered necessary. You are particularly requested, in specifying the time within which you will contract to complete them, to name such a period as you feel well assured will enable you to complete them fully, as the Department is anxious to avoid any disappointment on this point, and will be disposed to exact fully the proposed forfeiture in case of non-fulfilment. The Board are desirous that your reply shall be forwarded as early as practicable, and, if possible, before the 6th of May. Respectfully, your obedient servant, Messrs. ROBINSON & MINIS, L. WARRINGTON, For the Board of Navy Commissioners. Messrs. STACKHOUSE & TOMLINSON, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. A. The undersigned propose to furnish the materials, build, put up, and connect, ready for use, on board a steamer to be built at the port of Erie, on Lake Erie, one pair of steam engines, with the necessary shafts, paddle wheels, with all their dependencies of every kind, with iron boilers, coal bunkers, smoke chimney, and casings; all of the best materials and workmanship. Said engines to be of the collective power of about 170 horses. The cylinders will be thirty-six inches in diameter, with eight feet length of stroke. The engines and boilers, shafts, paddle wheels, and all their dependencies and connexions, to be made according to such working plans, drawings, and descriptions, as may be furnished by order of the Navy Department; and to be put up on board the said steamer, under the direction of a naval engineer appointed to that duty, and completed ready for use within fourteen months from the reception of the first working plans for the same. The boilers to be completed within eight months from the receipt of the drawings, so far as is necessary for putting them on board the vessel; and placed on board previous to the main deck being laid, and, consequently, before the vessel is launched. The whole to be furnished upon the following terms and conditions, viz: 1st. For the cylinders and air pumps, when bored and flanges faced, shall be — cents per pound. 2d. For such iron castings as it is necessary to make in loam moulds, cents per pound. 3d. For such iron castings as it is necessary to make in dry sand moulds, cents per pound. 4th. For the grate bars necessary for the boilers, cast in green sand and close flasks, cents per pound. 5th. For such other iron castings as may be made in green sand moulds, cents per pound. 6th. For the composition castings necessary for the engines, per pound. cents 7th. For furnishing the materials and building the boilers of iron, according to the description and directions which will be furnished, placing them on board, and connecting them with the engines, ready for use, per pound. cents 8th. For the smoke chimney, braces, bands, and sheet iron casings for the chimney, all fitted in their places, complete, cents per pound. 9th. For the coal bunkers of plate iron, with the bolts, braces, doors, &c., all fitted in their places, complete, cents per pound. 10. For the copper pipes necessary for the engines and boilers, cents per pound. 11th. For the water wheel and centre shafts of wrought iron, accurately turned in the journals, and for the eccentric and cut-off cams, and to be rough turned the rest of their length, cents per pound. 12th. For the cranks of wrought iron, when bored, faced, and dressed, cents per pound. 13th. For the cross heads of wrought iron, when bored, turned, faced, and dressed, complete, cents per pound. 14th. For the wrought iron work for the water wheels, put together complete, in their places on the vessel, with the buckets fastened in their places, the buckets or floats being furnished by the United States, planed and dressed, cents per pound. 15th. For the remainder of the wrought iron work in the forged state, well prepared for finishing, cents per pound. 16th. For the steel work in a forged state, well prepared for finishing, cents per pound. 17th. For the forged work of copper, well prepared for finishing, cents per pound. 18th. For the necessary turning and boring, with the exception of such pieces as are herein specified to be furnished at a certain price per pound in a finished state, cents the superficial or square inch of cast iron, and cents the superficial or square inch of wrought iron and composition. 19th. For the necessary planing, except for such pieces as are herein specified to be furnished for a certain price per pound in a finished state, cents the superficial or square inch. 20th. For the necessary number of good workmen to make the patterns, including all tools and the turning, dollars cents per diem. 21st. For the necessary number of good workmen, to fit up, finish, and set up the engines on board the vessel, dollars cents per diem. No labor to be paid for by the United States, upon parts or pieces which do not finally pass inspection. 22d. For the necessary white pine or other soft lumber, for patterns, &c., cents per one thousand feet, board measure. dollars 23d. For the necessary mahogany, for patterns, &e., cents per foot, board measure. 24th. For any articles not herein particularly specified, the lowest market price. 25th. The undersigned do also hereby propose to furnish any duplicate or extra pieces which may be required or ordered, at the same prices and on the same conditions as herein stated for other similar work, with the understanding 1st. That the price stated for the air pumps will not include the lining of them with composition, and reboring, but merely the casting and boring, ready for the composition lining. 2d. That the composition work is to be made directly from the separate metals forming that composition; or, in other words, no old composition must be used in making the new-all must be of some determinate composition, to be approved by the chief naval engineer, so that all may be of equal hardness. 3d. That all the heavy pieces of wrought iron work are to be faggoted solid from small bars, instead of being made from single or large bars. 4th. That so much of the work as practicable is to be executed by the lathes and planing machines, leaving as little to be done by hand as possible. 5th. That the working plans, drawings, and directions, furnished by the Department, are to govern the contractor in executing the work. 6th. That the boilers are to be filled with water and made perfectly tight before being placed on board the vessel; and, after being set on board and completed, are to be proved by a steam pressure of twenty pounds to the square inch. 7th. That the United States are to be at no expense for tools of any de scription, nor for their transportation, or the transportation of the engines or boilers, or any part of them. Sth. That the expense for the materials and labor of making the patterns being paid by the United States, the said patterns are to be carefully preserved, considered the property of the United States, and held subject to their order. 9th. That all such composition boxes and other pieces as may be directed are to be lined with Babbett's patent metal, without extra charge. 10th. That the chief and other engineers who may be employed by the Government to direct and inspect the work are to inspect each part and piece of the machinery and the boilers, and to have the power of rejecting any piece or part, in any stage of its progress, which they may consider defective in any respect; and the whole, when completed, to be subject to their inspection; and, after trial in actual operation, to their approval, and the approval of such other persons as the Department may appoint, (if in their opinion necessary,) before the final payments are made by the United States. The undersigned will also agree to pay proper attention to the representations of the inspecting engineers, should they consider any of the workmen who are employed on finishing or other work, for which daily wages are to be paid by the United States, to be incompetent or negligent; also, that, after any workmen shall have been employed on any part of the machinery, for whose labor daily wages are to be paid by the United States, such workmen shall not be transferred to other work, not connected with the engines and boilers, without the consent of the inspecting engineer. 11th. That the payments shall be made, from time to time, by the Unit ed States, as the work progresses, for such parts of the work as may be completely finished, ready for putting up; for such other parts as the chief cngineer may consider proper that some portion of the cost shall be paid while in progress-such as the heavy forging or casting, when forged or cast, but not finished; and for labor performed on the parts for which daily wages are to be paid, upon bills specifying particularly the articles, and amount and cost of labor, and duly certified to be correct by the inspecting engineer; but no payment shall exceed ninety per centum of the amount of any bill thus presented, nor for a less sum than five thousand dollarsthe retained ten per centum to be an additional security for the fulfilment of the contract, until the engines and boilers are fully completed, placed in the vessel, been fully tested, put in actual operation, and have been fully approved by the engineers and others who may be appointed to examine the same, (if considered necessary,) by the Navy Deyartment or Navy Commissioners, and formally accepted on the part of the United States. 12th. That satisfactory sureties shall be furnished, (not connected in business with the undersigned,) who shall give bonds to the amount of twenty thousand dollars for the faithful and punctual performance of this contract, as well in relation to the time for completing the engines and boilers as for the other conditions. 13th. The undersigned do further propose that, in case they shall not, in the opinion of the Board of Navy Commissioners, use due diligence in prosecuting the work, so as to ensure the completion of the engines and boilers within the time herein specified, the Board of Navy Commissioners shall have the right of procuring any pieces or parts of the engines from any other establishment, and employ and pay such additional number of |