The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-11-10

llSn ana VIE, george j. LOngfellOW, j.
F. Mayor. H. G. Middaugh, ]. M. Kel-
ly and wife, w. H.. Mckee and wife.
P. M. Coe and wife. o P. N. Ander-
son and wife, Miss Eddy T. jerks, J.
E. McKene. Minot, Mai. Butts, A. s.
Gibbons and wife, Alex Currie, P. G.
Donavan and wife; VIM. Nelson, James
Buell., Lee Cowell, r. B. Cox, State
Treasurer @. L. Bickford and wife,
W. A. Lauterman and, wife, D. Murphy,
Rev. R. J. vanderbergh, Miss Helen
Steele.
More than ten thousand people in
cluding representatives of two states
and of the national government, gath
cred at the yards Of the Fore River
shipbuilding company to witness the
launching of Americas most pow
erful sea fighter. !.
The Ship Commences.
When. the great prov Of the North
Dakota struck the waters Of
ed today, the United States navy had
Fore River, whore she was launch
received formally sthe bulky body
sQt, the first fighting, ship Of the 60
called Dreadnought class. Incidental
fly, new record for speed in the first
stage Of battleship construction will
have been established, inasmuch as
only 2S2 working days have been en-
ployed from the time Of laying the
keel until the day of the launching.
AS the massive hull of the North
Dakota stood upon the ways ready
for launching it presented none of the
warlike appearance Of the finished
Battleshfp. Save for few temporary
fittings, the decks were bare and lack
ed, the martial aspect supplied by the
great guns and secondary batteries,
which are to be installed later. Even
the great boilers of the fighting ship
had not been installed, in accordance
with the usual custom Of construction,
and as part Of the preparations for
the launching. puffy little tugs were
in, waiting to warp the gigantic yet
helpless craft, alongside the pier, at
the yard.
Before the conclusion Of the thirty
four and one-half months allowed by
the government for delivery, however,
the hull launched today will present
a different aspect. BY that time, ten
12-inch breach loading. long-range
rifles will have been placed in posi-
ton, as we'll as fourteen 5-inch, rapid
fire guns; four three-pound, and a
like number of one-pound semi-auto-
matte guns; two 3-inch field pieces,
two machine guns of 30-calibre; and
two 21-inch submerged torpedo tubes.
This constitutes the active armament
of the battleship Protective armor
to the extent Of about eight inches.
will cover practically every available
spot which might be reached by an
enemy's guns. and, as result Of the
recent naval conference, many minor
details of additional protection will
also be added. ,a
4 When placed in commission the
North Dakota will be $40 feet long on
the load water line, with breadth Of
S6 feet, 2 5-8 inches at the same point.
The length over all will be about 51s
feet, 8 inches. The battleship will
have a displacement of 10000 tons,
1000 in excess Of the original British
Dreadnought. 1t is estimated that
speed Of more than 81 knots will be
attained ON her trial, and that the
battleship's horse power will exceed
$4,000. Unlike her sister ship, the
Delaware. now under construction at
Newport News, Va, the North Dakota
WHY be fitted with Curtis turbine en-
gines. Including officers. tho crew
Will number more than 900 men. It
d estimated that when formally taken
over by the. government the North
Dakota viii have cost at least $1,000
900. the contract price Of her hull and