Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-15
LOUISIANA "A FIGHTER
New Battleship Can Whip Any
 Ship, Says w. E. Curtis.
AMERICA TO LEAD IN WAR CRAFT

Six Vessels Now Building Expected to Form the Most Powerful Fleet In the World - Japan . Strong Rival-How She Is Taking the Lead In Naval Construction.
 The battleship Louisiana, which rep. resents the most advanced type of the fighting machine ever constructed, has returned to her dock at the Newport News shipyard after her speed trial and is now receiving her armament and being fitted out for sea, says William E. Curtis, the Chicago Record -Herald's Washington correspondent. In several particulars the Louisiana exceeds all other ships of all other nations, and properly officered and manned she ought to whip anything that floats. In speed, armament and coal carrying ca pacity, which are the three essentials for a man-of-war, she surpasses the best and the latest and the strongest battleships in the European navies. She is 45O feet long, 76.10 feet beam and 24.6 feet draft, with displacement of 16,OOO tons. Her speed on her trial trip averaged 1S.S knots per hour. She can carry 2,300 tons of coal, which will enable her to steam 1000 miles at a speed of twelve knots, and her arn1a- ment is four twelve-inch guns, eight eight-inch guns and twelve seven-inch guns. She will have forty-five officers and crew of $40 men.
 The strongest ship in the British na. " is the Edward VII, of the same ton. mage 16,OOO), speed of 1S.6, or two. tenths of knot less than the Louisi- ana; coal capacity of 1000 tons and an armament of four twelve-inch, four nine-inch and ten six-inch guns. The strongest ship in the French navy is the Republique, 15,OOO tons, eighteen knots speed, capacity for 1900 tons of coal and an armament of four twelve-inch and eighteen six and one-half inch guns. The best ship in the German navy is the Elsass. 13,200 tons, eighteen knots speed, 1900 tons coal capacity and an armament of four eleven-inch and four. teen six and one-half inch guns.
 The Louisiana will cost about $5,- 100000 and is being built by contract by company in Newport News which was the lowest bidder. The Connecti- cut, an exact duplicate, is being built at the New York navy yard by the government and by day labor. There is a good deal of rivalry between the two. The New Hampshire and the Kansas, also duplicates of the Louisi- ana, are now under construction at Camden, N. J.; the Minnesota at New port News and the Vermont at the Fore River yard, Quincy, Mass. When they are finished these six ships will form the finest fleet of fighting ma chimes that were ever built in the world and will be more formidable than any thing that floats. The next best ships in our navy are the Virginia, Rhode Is- land, New Jersey, Nebraska and Geor- gias which are now approaching com pletion. They have displacement of 14,000 tons.
 The Louisiana is expected to be ready to go into commission in May, and sev- eral of her officers have already been selected. She will be commanded by Captain A. R. Couden, who was ap- pointed to the Naval academy from Utah and graduated in the class of '67.
 The Japanese arc taking the lead in naval construction. They have adopted a broad and comprehensive programme since the war. They expect to replace their old fleet with new and larger bat. tleships and armored cruisers and pro- pose to design and build their own ships hereafter. They have recently constructed a new shipyard and gun factory on the Sumida river, covering eighty three acres; with twenty large machine shops, foundries and gun fac tories. in which 4,0O0 men will be em- ployed. Heretofore they have built only about one-half of their warships. The remainder have been constructed in England and the United States or have been purchased from foreign countries, but hereafter they will build |, their own ships and their own guns.
 The Japanese naval programme is considerably in advance of that of any other nation. They now have under construction the following:
 To be completed. Battleship Aki. 1s.Ooo tons ............... .lsoS Rattleship Satsuma IsO00 tons .,.., 1908 Battleship kashima. 1i.OoO tons 1907 Battleship Katoria. 140co tons .........190I Armored cruiser Tsukuba, 14.0oo tons. -l9os Armored cruiser Ikoma. 1400o tons. .1s06 Armored cruiser Kuroma. 14.0o0 tons. 1906 Armored cruiser Ibutki. 1i.0yO tons. 1906
 The largest battleships will have a speed of eighteen knots and will be armed with eight twelve-inch and eight six-inch guns The second class battle ships will have a speed of eighteen knots and an armament of eight twelve-inch and eight six-inch guns The four armored cruisers will have a speed of twenty-One knots and an ar. mament of four twelve-inch and ten six-inch guns. Five destrOyers of the most advanced design have recently been launched, and will be ready for commission before the end of the year They are expected to make twenty-five knots
 Designs are about completed and SD propriati0ns have already been made for four enormous battleships of 22.0OC tons. twenty knots speed and an arrra