The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-24
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~ list Of naval terrors is always q
matter of popular approval, but
more than the usual interest attaches to
the construction OF the battleshp Connec-
ticut, now nearing completion in the New
York Navy Yard at Brooklyn.
When, on July l, 1902. Congress au-
thorzed the building OF Two new battle
ships. to be named the Connecticut and
the Louisiana. 1t wisely Incorporated in
the bill n provision that one OF the ships
should be built In n private shipbulding
yard and that one of them should be built
In one of the government navy yards.
Thus was contest started between the
naval constructors OF the government
on the one hand. and the engineers of the
private shipbuilding companies on the
other. That the results of this competi-
ton have been most satisfactory, not
only on account of the two magnificent
specimens of battleships that have re-
suited, but also for other excellent rea-
sons. everyone concerned, even the private
contractor, Ia bound to admit.
The Connecticut and the Louisiana are
twin ships. The Louisiana, bult mt New
port News is completed, and has had her
trial run. which was In every way salts
factory The Connecticut is practically
complete; her crew is being assembled at
the navy yard In Brooklyn, and she will
be given her trial trip In very short
time, during June, SO the Louisiana has
beat the Connecticut by n month or so,
but, as a matter of fnet, the experiment
Of the government has been a great
cess The time of construction of a hrst
class battleship has been cut down 13
months, reducing the construction period
In the case of the Louisiana from A TO
30 months, an enormous saving. The man
ner in which the private shipbn'ldlng
company has executed Its work has been
greatly improved by the knowledge that
a sister ship was building at the same
time In the New York Navy Yard.
But the slower construction of the
Connecticut Is only apparent. As n mat
ter Of fact, the actual work has been
done more quickly than on the Louisiana.
The keel of the latter ship was laid on
February Z, 1903. and the keel of the
Connecticut just one month later. With
this handicap of one month the Connec-
lieut., despite the fact that navy-yard
workmen toll but elAht hours n day,
against the 10 hours of the laborers In
private yards. and that the government
work year Is 20 days shorter than the
private work yenr, had drawn ahead OF
her sister ship until the Hrst of Au-
gust, 1908. she was advanced toward
completion S2.07 per cent, while the
Louisiana was only So.Sl per cent. com
pleted. But the delay In the government
In the forwarding OF funds needed in the
construction of the ship caused her build
ing to come TO n practical standstil mt
times, so that the Louisiana has beaten
her TO the finish by about two months
One OF the very beneficial results of the
contest has been the quickening of the
work on all other government vessels now
being built for Uncle Sam. Just how much
unnecessary delay there hns been In the
past Is illustrated by the building of the
Ave battleships of the Georgia class. The
bill authorizing the construction of these
fighters was passed by Congress March
8, 1900. 1t was three years later that
the Louisiana and the Connecticut were
authorized. Yet at the time that these
latter two battlesships were respectively
sos1 and s3.G7 per cent. finished, as
above told, two of these other vessels,
despite their start of three years over
Tie SOunctiiCult were otuiNciy AuibhSh
advanced toward completion than the
latter ship, the figures being, the
Georgia. 80 per cent, and the New Jer-
sey. 81 per cent, while the Nebraska fell
far behind the Connecticut. with only II
per cent. of her work finished
The stimulating effect of the building
OF the Connecticut is also shown In the
case OF the battleshlps Kansas, Mime
sofa and Vermont, of practically the same
class as the Connecticut, and authorized
eight months later Work on them Is
progressing at a record rate, and they
are being rushed to completion.
As to the Connecticut, with her sister
ship, she is the queen Of the American
Navy, being both the largest and the most
powerful engine of war in the organiza-
ton. Officially she Is what Is known as
a seagoing battleshp. she battleship
being the strongest type of vessel In
navy, the armored cruiser and the pro-
tected cruiser being successfully the next
steps down the scale. As the Connecti-
cut aud the Louisiana are twins. In size,
armament and all major details descrip-
ton of one of these ships dts both OF
them
The Connecticut Is 450 feet long. When
you consider that the height or the tall
est Office building IN the world--the 80
storied Park Row building in New York
falls 10 feet short of this length. vague
idea of the size of the Connecticut may
be arrived at. She is 10 feet and 10
inches in beam, width greater than
that of three city house lots. She has
displacement Of 10000 tons. the largest Of
our Navy and exceeding that of any
ether ship now In commission by at least
1000 tons. This displacement is extended
when her full stores are aboard and her
bunkers filled with coal for lengthy
cruise to II 666 tons. Yet despite this
enormous weight. she will be driven
through the water at rate Of is knots.
or over 20 miles, per hour. When fully
loaded the ship will draw a little less
than n feet of water.
But one of her great points Of strength
10 the length Of time during which the