The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-02
LOUISIANA LEAVES FOR HAMPTON ROADS Is Loaded With 2,OOO,OO0
 Pounds of Ammunition HAS ONE THOUSAND MEN Only One More Week Remains in Which To Prepare Atlantic
 Fleet for Long Voyage To
 the Pacific Ocean.
HAS ONE THOUSAND MEN

New York, December With 2.0O0, 900 pounds of ammunition stored away Tn her magazine rooms, and with nearly 1000 man on board, the big 16.OOO-ton battle ship Louisiana, one of the largest class of fighting craft in the American navy, sales at break of day tomorrow from the Brooklyn navy yards for Hampton Roads, the rendezvous of the Pacific bound Atlantic fleet.
 The amount of ammunition stored aboard the Louisiana will be duplicated on all the vessels of her class, includ- Ing the Connecticut flagship of Rear Admiral Evans; the Kansas and the Min nesota. While this store of ammunition seems large, it will be increased by at least one-quarter of the total weight. if the fleet were being equipped in battle order The heavy stores are explained by the fact that the fleet will spend nearly one month at spring target prac- tice in Magdalena bay, Lower California. before arriving at San Francisco.
 Vermont Is on Way.
 The Louisiana probably will be frst joined at Hampton Roads by the Vermont which sailed from Boston Saturday Tho connecticut is due to leave the Brook Vn yard on Wednesday. This will leave uhuer repair here, the Virginia, Min hesota, Rhode Island, Ohio and Alabama. Ihe New Jersey sailed from Boston to- uay leaving the Illinois and Mtssourii sun there with the Kentucky en route u Boston to report to Admiral Evans in 'he virginia roadstead by Monday. De- cember 9.
 Ihis being the last week for uorl or the ships, the immense forces of Rrool,, lyh, Boston, League Island ana Nc. ' VIII nave to labor overtime in or uer 'o get all of the vessels ready.
 p'il sh'p' the Panther will accompanv the fleet. pahy
 ihe salllng of the Louisiana tomorrou, uhuer command of Capt. Richard Wet, wright the hero of the uttIa g,,ntoa. uloucester, which got into the thick of the nght at Santiago and won a shave 'i that victory equal to some of the ar nor eiads under Admirals Sampson and ocliey' IS accompanied by the news inst received from Washington that the sr,, crews or the vessels made a clean sween
 ee"i SSt pldCllCe TOT Ships of her class.
 Win Large Prizes.
 Tn navy and ship awards the men be- hind the Louisiana's guns won nearly szooo This included first prize of the To- men guns. first and second prizes with the s-inch rifles and third prize with tbe side battery of Finch guns.
 In addition tO tha y,apa., all or the gun pointers aboard the Lou 1siana will get higher pay, s7O a month being added to their salaries as the re- suits of making the requisite score of q hit minute with the and s-inch rifles With the 12-inch guns the Louisiana crews made percentage of approxi- mately 72S. This means practically 80 per cent of hits with the big shells for the allowances for hits to the Louisiana are placed lower than 100 this being done In order to bring the ships with rifles of lesser power on equal terms in the com petition for battleship trophes.
 The work of the Louisiana's gun crews set high standard for the larger ships of the navy and is Q striking example ol the effectiveness of American gun nery.