Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-12
A BIG ONE.
Batt|eship New Jersey
Launched at Quincy.
Another Monster Sea Fighter
Added to Uncle Sans Fleet.
Christened by Mrs. w. 3. Kinney, Gov.
Murphy's Daughter.

Quincy, Mass. Nov. 1.-THE battle
ship New Jersey, Of thc SeagOing class,
built for the United States by the Fore
River Shipbuiding Co. was successful
~ launched at 12.14 Thursday. There
was a large number of guests present.
including Gov. Franklin Murphy of
New Jersey, Governor John J.. Bates
Of Massachusetts and Former Secrc-
tary of the Navy John ID. Long of
bingham. The battlcship was christen-
~ by Mrs. William Il. Kinney. daush-
ter Of Coy. Murphy
IL was Il most beautiful day, the
crisp air being tempered by the rays
Of the unclouded sun. The invited
guests including party IF % with
Coy. Murphy earn" Ivy special train
from Boston during the forenoon,
which Was switched onto the SPUR
track of the shipbuiding company and
admitted 10 the yards.
Besides the New Jersey party Rear
Admiral Harris Of Washington. d. e..
Rear Ad:niyal Geo. F. Wilde comman-
dant 81 the United States navy yard at
''harlrStnWn. Commander Routakoff
naval attacne of the Russian embassy
az w anu 'IiiSI'SSt'itll Nc
Nay. Powers and TirrCl, of Massa-
chuStttS, We're on board
The guests We're the only ones ad-
nittcd to the launching. which took
place rs soon after the noon hour as
The condition Of the tide was consider
cd to Warrant il. As the battl"ship be
gan to move on her way toward the
water MrcS. Kinney broke the bottle
OF char.p payne over nc bow and utter
ed the traditional words:
Il hlistrn Thee New Jcrscy'
Aft"r the launching The guests Wee
ent,rtnin"d ~ thu. management. Rear
Admiral Francis +. I}oWIrs, president
Of tn company, was in charge.
Tn March. 1899, Congre apprOpriat-
ed money for three sea going coast
lin" battlcships carrying the heaviest
arnlor and most powerful armament
for vessels of their class and provid-
cd for two more by the Act of June Z.
1900. The Bureau of Construction and
Repair fully carried out the evident
purpose of Congress. for the design of
the Virginia and class represents FIVE
most powerful battleships.
OF the five vessels appropriated for
three We're required to be sheathed and
corpercd and two without sheathing:
immediately after being contracted
for, however. the Navy Department
took this question under consideration
and decided TO omit all outside sheath
ing and coppering, SO that each vessel
Of the class of which the New Jersey
is one. is now a counterpart Of the
other, except for minor notifications
incident to construction.
The general dimensions and chief
chara cteristics of these vessels are:
Length on load waterline, 435 feet. !
Breadth, extreme, at load water
line. 76 feet. 2la inches.
Trial displacement. about 1494S tons.
Mean draft at trial displacement
about % feet. 8 inches. |
Greatest draft. full load, about 26 feet |
The New jersey was built for a speed
of az least 10 knots. The warship will
be propelled at this high speed for
by twin-screws driven by ,
two 4-cylinder, triple expansion en-
gines of about $4,000 indicated horse
power, having a stroke of feet, run
ming under conditions OF maximum
speed of about 120 revolutions per
iIliiiutt HS steam necessary TO CnlS
power will be supplied at pressure of
$50 pounds per square inch. by II
watertube boilers. placed two in each
Of six independent water-tight com
partments.
The New Jersey will carry four -
inch guns. forty calibres in length,
mounted by pairs in balanced turrets.
one turrct being located forward of the
and the other aft. and
each having a total arc of train of 270
degrees. OF the eight S-inch guns. As
ralibres in length, which will be car
ried on this vessel. four will be mount
ed by pairs in turrets, superposed
upon the Pinch turrets above mem
toned. and four in two broadside tur-
'ets slightly forward of amidships, the
turets having a total arc Of
rain of 1870 degrees. In the New Jer-
sey there will be broadsde battery
IN the gun deck of twelve 6-inch rapid
ire guns, fifty calibres in length,
Mounted on each side, each with a
.otal are Of train of 121 degrees. The
secondary battery will consist of
-welve 3-inch. 5O-calibre. rapid-fire
guns, twelve 3-pounder semi-auto-
lratic, eight 1-pounder, heavy auto
matte. two 30-calibre machine guns
md six 30-calibre Colt automatic guns,
Ill mounted in commanding positions
md having large ares of fire.
The New Jersey will also be fitted with
ubmereed torpedo tubes.
The magazines will be especially fitted
q enable her to carry. with absolute
afety in all climates, the new smokelesS
powder Provision will be made in the
magazine for the stowage of at least sixty
ounds for each of the Finch guns l25
o'inds for each of the eght-inch guns,
~ rounds for each Of the G-inch guns.
10 rounds for each of the 3-inch guns, and
plentiful supply of ammunition for the
mailer guns 49,
To make the warship's defensive quail i
es proportionately great, she is provided