The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-09-02
BIG BATTLESH|P
is LAUNCHED
The Louisiana Possibly the
Most Powerful Fighting
Machine Ahoat.
RACE BETWEEN BUILDERS
Private Company Has Thus Far De.
tcated the Government Yards In
the Work of Constructing
Sister Vessels.

Newport News. Va. Aug. 3O.-At high
eide Saturday the Il. 0OO-ton battleship
Louisiana was launched at the plant of.
the Newport News Shipbuildlng and DRY
Dock company.
"A large party from Louisiana. headed
by Governor William w. Heard, attended
the ceremonies incident to the christening
of the big fighter. and the luncheon at the
Chamberlain hotel Immediately after the
ship was launched. Miss Juniata La Laude
of New Orleans broke the bottle of wine
and named the vessel.
The Louisiana and her sister ship. the
Connecticut, will usher In one important
innovation. Their batteries will contain
finch guns instead Of the G-inch rapid
!ircrs which have prevailed since the YES
sells of the MISUNDERSTANDING type
were planned. .,
1t Is doubtful whether any ship afloat
will match the Louisiana In armament.
In addition to four Pinch guns. In fore
and aft turrets. she will have eight S-inch
rifles. In the main battery these Will be-
supplemented by twelve finch rifles, each
throwing a projectile Weighing 1G5 pounds.
The l2-inch guns carry a she'll weighing
$50. pounds at a velocity of $500 feet a Sec
ond-a speed one-fourti greater than that
attained by the 13-inch guns on the ships
of the Indiana class. The 7-inch shellsi
have a bursting charge OF 10 pounds OF
black powder. The explosive she'll may
be replaced by an armor piercing proJec-
tile. which attains a velocity of 1900 feet a
second driven by a charge OF 1Ol pounds
OF smokeless powder.
Hitherto the secondary batteries of the
battleships nave been composed mostly of
3-pounder and G-pounder rapid fire guns.
On the rev s;lip these will be superseded
by twenty 2-inch rapid fire rifles, throwing
n l4-pound explosive shell. There also
will be twelve 3-pounder emf-automatio
guns. eight 1-pounder guns and
two 2-lnch field GYMS and eight machine
guns for the fighting tops.
Her Armor Alone Cost $1,5oo,o0o
The armor for the Louisiana Will cost
about s 1900 Co.,. While the greatest OF her
stec! protection VIII be concentrated at
the water line amidships. she also will be
protected the full length OF her hull. and
above the main belt of armor plate there
vii, be three thinner belts Of plates-the
lower casemate. the upper casemate and
tho supcrstructure armor.
Electricity Will be employed to as large
an extent on board the Louisiana as on
any ship in the navy. There will be cleo
tric ammunition hoists and conveyors. and
1t is more than probable that electrical
devices for both aiming and dischargtng
the guns will be installed. There also will
be an automatically controlled motor for
the purpose of keeping the big guns on a
horizontal line while !irlng in a heavy sea-
There Is q widespread interest in the
launching of the Louisiana, because it
marks another stage in the exciting race
between the Brooklyn navy yard and the
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock
conpany-a race which is to settle the
mootcd question as to which can build war
ships most economically and most expo
dit!ously.
The question was thoroughly discussed
when the appropriation for the Louisiana
and Connecticut was under discussion and
the friends of the navy yards succeeded
in having a provision inserted in the bill
calling for the construction of one of the
ships at a government plant. The Brook
.lyn navy yard was selected to make the
race with the Newport News yard, which
obtained the other contract. The govern
1nent builders lost a month In tho start,
The lead Of the private builders gradually
crept up until ten points ahead had been
reached.
Then for a couple OF months tho govern
ment builders made a squirt, with the re-
suit that the lead was cut down to six
points. Then the Newport News yard
doubled its force on the Louisiana and be-
gan TO work day and night on the big
fighter. 1t evidently is the intention to
win the race by a good margin. The Con-
necticut will be launched at the Brooklyn
yards just q month and two days later
than the baptism of the louisiana.