The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-23

in the presence of several thousand
persons, who crowed the docks and
every vantage point in the vicinity Of
the yard.
AS the big hull started to leave the
thickly creased ways, Miss Mary Alice
Spry of Salt Lake City, daughter of
the governor of Utah, raised her arm
and broke a gaily beribboned bottle of
champagne against the keel Of the
great ship as she spoke the words
that gave the vessel its name.
Launching of big warships on the
Delaware river have become a COM
mon sight. but nevertheless the latest
contribution to the American navy
stirred the enthusiasm of the crowd,
whose cheers and the din created by
the whistles of the river craft, con-
tinued several minutes.
Among those on the platform were
representatives of the navy depart
ment; Governor Spry and members OF
his family, a congressional delegation,
including the members from Utah,
representatives of the Utah legisla-
ture and nearly all the officers OF the
shipbuilding company.
The Utah is the fifth of all big gun
type of battleships for the United
States navy to be launched. When
completed she will be more powerful
than the Delaware and North Dakota
of the Dreadnaught class
The Utah has length on the load
water line of SO feet or 521k k feet
over all, and a beam of SO feet 2
inches. Her trial draught will be
% n feet. Displacement, 21, ,S25 tons,
or 1000 tons greater than the Della
ware and North Dakota. and her
speed is expected to develop 20 q
knots or more an hour.
There will be 10 12-inch breech-
loading guns in her main armament
mounted on five turrets on the cen
trail line of the ship. Two of the tur-
rets will be forward, one amidships
and two aft. Each turret will be pro-
tected by armor and 2 inches thick
and will be supplied with ammunition
by electrical hoists from the maya
zines and shell rooms Immediately be-
low. The entire handling of the guns
will be done by electric motors.
Sixteen 5 inch guns protected by ar
NOR of medium thickness will be pro-
vided for defense against torpedo boat
attacks. Close subdivision and strong
bulkheads will form additional protec-
tion against mine and torpedo eXplo-
sions. The Utah will also be fitted
with two submerged torpedo tubes an6
will have 10 small guns for boat ser
vice and saluting purposes.
The Ar,nor.
The main armor belt of the great
ship viii be about eight feet wide with
an average thickness OF III 1eS. "A DDNe
this will be another belt of an aver
age thickness of nine inches and still
higher will he the easement armol
protecting the secondary battery and
funnel bases.
Each barbette will be mare of armol
varying from four to 10 inches ir
thickness and will protect the entire
ammunition handling machinery for the
IL inch guns in the turrets above.
Ten turbines. six for a head and foul
for astern, capable of developing 2S.00(
horse power. will be installed.
Steam will be supplied by II water
tube boilers and coal or oil may be
used for fuel The two smokestacks
on the ship will extend 20 feet above
the water line.
The Utah will be fitted for a flagship
and her complement as such will con-
sist of a crew of 1000. of whom so viii
be officers.
While the Utah will have no equa
when completed she will not hold thai
position long, as the naval program
following the one which called for two
ships of the Utah class. provides 70,
vessels that will be considerably heav-
ier These latter ships will mount two
more ~ inch guns than the Utah and
will have a heavier secondary bat
tery.