Middletown transcript., 1908-08-08
FINE VESSEL NOW BUILDING
Delaware Will be One of the Very Finest
War Ships Ever Launched


Delaware will soon have ship afoat
on the waters of the world named after
the state and which will be one of the
largest battIeships in the world. The
boat is now being built at Newport News,
Va, and when completed will be pride
to Delawarea.ls. And they ought to be
proud because the gigantic battleship is
named after one of the smallest states in
the Union, but, at the same time, one OF
the most important.
In the navy yard at Newport, hundreds
of men are working hard to get the boat
out on time Delaware is proud OF the new
ship because the citizens Of this state have
striven to be recognized in the United
States navy. Delaware sought in. the
days of the wooden hull vessels to have
its name placed on vessel and through
the varying states of evolution it fought
for recognition clear up until the day OF
the mighty guardians of the sea. Bigger
states interfered, but thanks to persistence
the greatest battledship in the world
bearing the name Of the smallest state, in
tho galaxy of states which form this
Union to be named after Delaware.
In the course of few months the big
battleship will take to the water and
Qelawareans will be on hand to assist in
the launching of the big craft and inCiden-
tally to present to the officers Of the vessel
token which will always serve as a me-
meuto of the pride of Delawareans in the
fact ship was named after the state.
The famous "Dreadnought" of Eng
land, which was supposed to be the most
powerful ship afoat, pales into insignif-
canoe alongside the Delaware" and the
North Dakota" sister ships. According
to the Philadelphia Press the descrip-
ton is;
"The Delaware, when completed and
ready to 60 into commission, will repre-
sent an initial outlay of $4,000, 600.
Yearly 81 10000 OF this will be spent for
guns alone. The cost of keeping the ship
in commission and in frst.class fighting
trim will be 81, 900, 600 per annum, which
includes the feeding and paying of her
crew of 900 officers and men, ordinary
repairs, machinery and other ships sup
plies and coaling.
In design the Delaware slightly resem-
bles the Dreadnought, although the
Delaware will have heavier armament
and will have a better opportunity to
swing her big guns.
"The forecastle deck of the Delaware
will extend aft about one-third of the
ships length, giving high freeboard
for the forward pair of turrets, which are
so placed as to enable the guns of the Sec
ond turret to fire over the one forward,
which has a command of about thirty
feet above the waterline. This gives
the guns in the second, or higest
turret, an additional command of about
six feet.
"This forecastls deck is carried aft to
about midway between the tunnels and
enclose the gallery and necessary quarters
for the crew. Just aft of where this fore
castle deck ends the second, or after fun
mel, is placed, and aft of these are placed
the other three turrets. The forward
one Of the trio has the same command o.
the fire as the bow turret, thirty feet
while the two after turrets, aft on the
main deck, have the same which art
placed back to back and will command
as the turret guns OF the Connecticut
class, about twenty feet.
"In addition to the ten 12-inch guns
there is a broadside battery of fourteen
5-inch guns, against the Dreadnought'
five in a central battery and one forward
and one aft in sponsors on each side.
"This battery will give the Delaware {
broadside fire of ten 12-inch and sever
5.inch guns, against the Dreadnought'
broadside fire of eight 12-inch and thir
teen twelve-pounders. In this arrange
ment of the battery on the American shil
the broadside fire is "a per cent create
than that on the English ship.
"Should this big ship ever clear deck
for serious action something ought to hap
pen with thud somewhere. Think o
it. The main batteries of this ship will
be able to hurl at one broadside 1000
pounds of steel, which is 5000 pound
more than Admiral Dewey's whole squad
ron was able to fire in the battle of Manil
Bay ten years ago.
. ITO fire this broadside of steel cost
$4,000. Each time one of the 12-incl
guns is fred the chang" costs $116C
: while smaller 5-inch guns destroy ma
terial that costs $430 at every discharge
At the end of two hours continuous frin
? the guns would be worn out. Indeed
: 12.inch firing piece is practically unfit 70
9 further use after being fred 100 times.
D "Let's look at one of these guns mir
!. ute. The gun itself weighs sixty tons an
8 with one charge locked in the breec
g weighs nearly hall ton more. Whe
n the proiectile leaves the muzzle it is tray
Q cling at the rate of 1000 miles an hour
t mile in less than two seconds, and, if the
could be kept going, would whizz aroun
g the world between sunrise and sunset.
It Like the gun, so is the life Of the shi
d herself limited and at the end of twent
v years this leviatathan will be as obsolet
o and out OF date as the ships Of the famo,
d White Squadron, of twenty years ago, al
to-day.
approximately the Delaware is $40 fe
. on the wateyline, IS feet inches baz
2 mum bean and will have displacemel
" of about 20, 900 tons on trial with mes
'e draught of 26 feet 10 inches. She wi
. carry 1,0O0 tons of coal on trial, in bun
: ers of 25OO Capacity, and must attain
. speed of q knots.
- "The armor protection of the Delawa
will be far greater than that IN any sh
l. yet designed and will consist of ma
IS belt extending all around the ship, eley'