The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-15
The Missouri, Now Nearing Com
pletiOn, Expected to Make
New Naval Records.
TO BE LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER.
Naval Experts Claim the Missouri
Will Outclass the Illinois
and Be a Type of
World Beaters.


The Republic Bureau,
18th ST. and Pennsylvania Ave.
washington. June 1I.-while the Navy lie
partment officials are pleased with the ex
cellent speed developed by the new battle
snip Illinois. Oh her trial trip. they do no
forget that within a few months a battle
ship will leave the ways which. not only IL
speed. but in all other important features
VIII practically relesate the Illinois to q
subordinate class.
When the keel OF the Missouri touche.
the waters Of the South Atlantic. there will
De a battleship afioat which. fsurativeiy
speaking. can make circles around the
Illinois with her ia knots an hour. Both
OF these great ships are the work of the
Newport News Dry Dock and Shipbuildins
company. The designed speed Of the I'LL
nois was l6 knots an hour. and on her
trial she developed ia. The required speed
OF the new Missouri Is IS knots. and
on her trial trip she is expected to make
between ~ and 20 knots. In other words.
her speed requirements is 12ts per cent
greater than that demanded Of the Illinois.
Hope Of Builders.
The builders are confidently expecting to
produce In the Missouri a boat with a great
er surplus Of speed than they accomplished
IN the Illinois. A comparison Of the prin-
cipal features Of the two ships shows that
this expectation Is well founded. While
just pride may be felt in the Illinois. II will
be noted that the Missouri will not he ac-
cepted from the builders unless she devei-
ops a much higher speed than ia
The Illinois and the Missouri both are
ciassed by the Navy Department as sea
going. coast-line battleships." Both nave
two military masts and both are constructed
In the same yards. by the same people. In
I'm -sA-. a. G--n - Aco " g.
sS feet long. The extreme breadth Of each
Is q feet 2s inches. making the Missouri of
relatively less beam. ard. therefore. better
calculated for speed. The mean draft OF
each is 2 feet 6 inches. The displacement
OF the Illinois Is 1855 and OF the Missouri
l.. 90 tons.
Could Run Away From Illinois.
The speed Of the Missouri will so far ex-
coed that of the Illinois that. II the two
were ordered to a poin; 700 miles distant
and the Missouri were to go under full
steam. she would either have to tow the
Illinois or arrive at her destination Ave
hours ahead. For instance. II these ships
both started from HongtKong to Manila
TO capture or destroy the Spanish feet"
when the Missouri passed under the guns
of C%orregidor Arsenal. the Illinois would
De nearly 100 miles In the rear.
This Increased speed Of the batt!eships Is
Department. In the missouri and her sis,
ter ships. the Ohio and new Maine. they
expect to have the best types OF battleships
In the world. securing high speed without
loss of stability.
The Missouri now l. 81 per cent forward
In the matter Of construction, which indi-
rates that II will he ready for launching In
October. When Miss Marian Cockrell, who
has been chosen for this honor. breaks the
Of Missouri wine. and says II
thee Missouri" the party Of Mis- |
who are lucky enough to be on
deck and feel II tremble as the boat glides |
the ways. will realize that they are |
on 3 battleship. all In all. unequaled in the ]
world.
h Cruiser st. LouIs.
The cruiser St. Louis. of course. IL Of a |
different class II il Of much higher de-
signed speed. as are all cruisers compared
With battleships. The requirement IL %
<nots an hour, and on her trial trip this 1
Inc shin probably will develop nearly .
In the St. Louis contractors proba-
Ny viii make special effort to surpass the
'peed requirements. as they are somewhat
In this field of government work, and
naturally desire to establish n record.
The 81. Louis Is being built by Neafie a
L|vy. Philadelphia. Thus far nothing has
'cen done beyond making the plans. II
VIII he at least two years before the 81.
souis can he launched. She will be of sem
ems displacement and one OF the finest
a1oat. combining great epeed ana
Qualities of the highest order.
Neahe e. Levy have the contracts also
or the new cruiser Denver. and for three
,rpedo-boat destroyers. the cambridge,
r m