The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-02-10


monster battleshipg Dreadnouglit,
which when finished will have cost
S7.50o.000, was launched here today
by King Edward.
The launching Of the Dread
nought, the largest and most power
5ul battleship of the worlds navies,
marks the first stage in what the
British admiralty claim as the great
rst achievement in naval constrnc-
ton. On October 2, 1905, only a
few DAYS over four months ago, work
was commenced at Portsmouth on
The vessel. the first Of what is to be
known as the Dreadnought class.
The promise was made then that she
would be launched within six
months. The admiralty has more
than made good their boast and
Britishers have another cause for
pride in their navy. Another
Twelve months, all going well, the
Dreadnought will be commissioned
and join the Atlantic Fleet, thus
heating all previous records in bat
tleship building by six months.
There are two reasons why work is
being rushed on the Dreadnought.
One Is the great saving in cost, but
The chief reason is that the ship is 10
some extent an experiment and it :
desired to give her good trial be-
fore commencing construction on
any more of her class. Great
Britain it will be remembered was
the only power having attaches or
observers on Japanese ships dnring
the Russo-Japanese war, while eX-
pert British constructors were given
every opportunity Of learning where
IN the ships of JapaF proved weak
OF strong as the case might be.
These men were busy-from start to
finish of the way and Immediately
after the battle Of the Sea of Japah
came home with their data, which
was submitted with suggestions. to
a special committee on which sat
not only the most experienced naval
experts but the director of naval
construction, Lord Kelvin. and IL
number Of the leading private ship
builders. The Dreadnought is the
outcome Of their deliberations, an
embodiment of the lessons of the
late war in the Far East, ship APP
parently invincible, capable at one
discharge of her guns of throwing
with unparalleled force twice as
anueh metal as any foreign man-of-
war nor float, 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 Dreadnought's construction re-
main a secret so well has the admir-
atty guarded the plans. Efforts Of
naval attaches TO gather information
for their governments have beer
fruitless. No information is forth
coming, the answer to all enquiries
being the candid one that Great
Britan intends to maintain secrecy
as 10 what her experts learned as a
result Of Japan's experiences for one
wear and by rushing to completion
the Dreadnought, will gain year,
if not more in naval construction
over all other powers except her ally.
Usually when ships are building a
board is placed at the head OF the
Slip giving her name, displacement.
principal dimensions. horse power
and speed. In the case Of the
Dreadnought not an item in the de-
sign IS revealed, the board contain
ing the simple sentence ''His Males
tv's Ship Dreadnought. commenced
October, 2. 1905.n When ready for
SEA the ship will displace 1896
tons. but this is the least remark
able thing about her for besides the
Ideas lHlEOuuCeU Us IISuAt VI lie
Far Eastern war Britain is placing
on her new fighting machine the
heaviest armament ever carried hy a
ship. In the past British vessels
have carried four 12-inch guns
throwing $50 pound shells: The
Dreadnought win have ten Of these
weapons Of a new type with a muzzlc
energy Of 1865. as compared with
tho 3.622 of the guns carried in as
recent battleships as the Majestic
class. an increase in power Of 80 per
cent. In a great sea fight the
Drcadnought will be able to dis
charge every minute ten proiectilcs
weighing $500 pounds with suffic-
lent velocity TO send them 25 miles
or to penetrate about sixteen inches
Of sbe hardest armor at range Of
al Two miles. Unlike oil Brit
IL nd foreign battleships built in
: Dast thirty years the new adj
diti5h 10 the fleet will carry no
,,,eanon smaller that the great ~.