Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-02-10
ENGLISH LAUNCH
POWERFUL VESSEL
Will Be by Far Most
Formidable Craft
Afloat.
RESULT OF OBSERVATION
Of Sea Battles in Recent War
All Records Broken in
Construction.

Portsmouth, England, Feb. 1O.-The
monster battleship Dreadnought,
which. when finished, will cost 81
100000, was launched here today by
King Edward. The ceremony was
the most simple possible, the king hay
ing vetoed all pagentry on account OF
the death of his father-in.lalw, King
Christian.
The launch of the Dreadnought, the
largest and most powerful battleship
Of the worlds navies, marks the first
stage in what the British admiralty
claim as the greatest achievement IN
naval construction. On October 2,
1905. only a few days over four months
ago. work was commenced at Ports
mouth on the vessel the first OF what
is to be known as the Dreadnought
class
Ready in Year.
In another ~ months the Dread
nought will be commissioned and join
the Atlantic fleet, thus beating all pre-.
vious records in battleship building by
six months.
Great Britain, it will be remember
ed, was the only power having at
taches or observers on Japanese ships
during the Japanese war while
expert British constructors We're given
every opportunity of learning where
in the ships of Japan proved weak or
strong, as the case might be.
The Dreadnought is the outcome OF
their deliberations, an embodimeit OF
the lessons of the late war in the Tar
East, ship apparently invincible,
capable at one discharge of her guns
of throwing with unparalleled prce
twice as much metal as any foreign
man-of.war afloat, while her armor
will render her immune from attacks
by any enemy's guns and, some claim,
even against torpedoes, fired at the
usual battle range. The details of the
Dreadnoughts construction remain a
secret so we'll has the admiralty guard
ed the plans.
Secrecy.
Great Britain intends to maintain
secrecy as to what her experts learned
as a result of Japan's experiences for
one year and by rushing to completion
the Dreadnought, will gain year, il
not more, in naval construction o,er
all other powers, except her ally.
When ready for sea the ship will
displace 1880 tons, but this is the
least remarkable thing about her, for
besides the ideas introduced as a re-
suit of the far eastern war Britain Is
placing on her new fighting machine
| the heaviest armament ever carried by
a ship
In the past British vessels have car.
ried four Pinch guns throwing $50
pound shells; the Dreadnought will
have ten of these weapons OF Il new
TYPE with muzzle energy of 1865, as
compared with the 1892 of the guns
carried in as recent battlcships as the
Majestic, an increase in power of 80
lpcr cent.
In great sea fight the Dreadnought
will be able to discharge every minute
ten projectiles weighing $500 pounds
with sufficient velocity to send them
rs miles or to penetrate about sixteen
inches of the hardest armor at q
range of about two miles. Unlike all
British and foreign battleships built
in the past thirty years the new addi
ton to the fleet will carry no weapon
smaller than the great twelve inch
pieces, except eighteen 3-inch quicR
frers for repelling attacks by torpedo
craft.
Comparatively Cheap.
| The Dreadnought will cost ten pei
cent per ton less than recent battle
ships British built although she vii
represent the last word in all details
Iof her construction. In another re
|spect the Dreadnought will be unique
she will be the first battleship in the
world to be driven by turbines.
The guns, armor, machinery, boilers
ETC., are ready to be placed in the
Dreadnought, SO there should be M
difficulty in in having her ready fo1
sea in twelve months, when she will
join the Atlantic fleet, based on Glib
|raltar, thus being placed midway be
tween the channel and Mediterranean
| fleets.
/. Writing of this fleet as it will b.
when the Dreadnought joins, a nava
lexpert said: Nothing as devastating
as this concentrated destruction ha
ever been conceived in the brain 0
man. 1t is impossible to picture th
result Of one minutes well directe'
fire at an enemy's ships, and when on
minute is followed by others the ei
fleet would be too terrible for words. :