The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-11-10

kota, a 10000 ton fighting monster of
the seas. was launched today at the
yards of the Fore River Shipbuilding
company. Miss Mary Benton. Of Far
20, n. d., who was appointed for that
purpose by Governor John Burke, of
North Dakota. broke bottle Of wine
against the battlcship and formally
Christcned it Thousands Of people
from Boston and other cities witness
ed the launching, and nany distin-
guishcd officials Of the navy were
present
The launching Of the North Dakota
she first scmiDroadnought type of YES
sci to Dee built for the American navy
marks o u,w step toward the suprcm
acy of Uncle sam ON the hirh seas.
All rccni5s FOR speed we're broken In.
her construction and while much re-
maius TO bc done In hitting the lei
viathan for active service. all iudica
;ions point 20 its completion many
months before the expiration of the.
thrce.ycar limit allowed by the gov
crumont The keel OF the big vessel
was laid ON December l6 last. and byI
October last the ship was % per
cent completed II Is expected that
the North Dakota will be In commits
sion within two years from the date
Of the laying Of her keel, which will
break all records of American ship
yards when commissioned, she viii
he commanded by Captain Charles J.
Badger. superintendent of the Annapo-
lis Naval Academy.
The North Dakota Is a sister ship OF
the Delaware IN process Of building
at the yards OF the Newport News
Shlpbullding q Dry Dock company att
Newport News. Va. On October u
the Delaware was 4i per cent com
plctcd. according 10 the official re-
ports OF the navy department. \ fierce !
rivalry has marked the construction
of the sister ships
The North Dakota and the Delawarel
are almost precisely alike. each hav-
ing a long forecastlo deck extending
from the bow almost To the center of
the vessel. The ten twclve-inch guns
are arranged in five turrcts, two 10 al
turret the forward turret being sol
located that the axis ot It's guns a.,
twVnty-fcur Zee; above the water line
Jus, ahaf, this tu-rct is another. the|
oarbet,e 81 which is ~ sufficient
heisht for us Guns Go clear the roof
% thv forward iurrc'. A,'aft the h-,ak
@, the fo-ccas,lc deck. aud also stu.
atcd on the axis o. the ship. are two
more yNelye!uch sun turrcts. AMI
ahaft ana near the stern is the fif;h
and last OF The big ,urocts
The wonderful spcs5 of thes, hig
ships. tvcrty.onc knots. makes every
other hattleship not turbine driven. a
tortoiselike affair. In an action a
fleet Of Dreadnauehts might acc. pt OF
decline battle, as suitcI It's convent
cncc. Il could also choose i,s own
range and control the rate OF change
of rang.
Although the tremendous power OF
concentration secured hy the ton
twtlyeinch guns OF the Drcaduau.ht
Is the principal reason for the adop.
tion Of this new type by an the navi,s
of the world. it's cost is much less than
four small hattlcships aggrcgatlng the
same power As Ia the question OF
maintenance, IL costs no moro To keen
the biz ship In commission than the
small one \ million "a year is about
the expense of a. Strauce as 90 may
seem, IL does not require SO many Off.
GERS 10 man IT, Fewer menare uyces.
sary 70 serve the ten guns OF one OF
our new Dyeaduaughts than are re
Quirci for an the guns OF the Mis-
souri
In combat such ships would conquer
without wasting single shot. Secure
I'm the poss ssSion OF impreguahle
armor. Que OF them coulI descend ON
her advelsalies and with the coucen
tratcd fire OF her ten hard hitting guns
hammer the little ships 10 the point OF
surrender or speedy annihihuou. Tier
perfect fire control would never pyr
mit a miss Sweeping uoiselassly ac
ROSS the sea, hcr pointers tollowinl
the enemy in tho crosswircs OF thct
sights. her ten enormous guns higl
above the waves spray, would secl