The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-24
B|G BATTLESH p
 UTAH LAUNCHED Daughter of 6 vernon of Utah Christens the Vessel HAS NO EQUAL NOW AFLOAT The Utah Will outcIass All American War Vessels in Size, Speed and
 Armament, But Not
 For Long.
HAS No EQUAL NOW AFLOAT

Philadelphia December 22-Declared to have no equal afoat as a frst-class fight ing machine. the battleship Utah, the greatest warship ever built in the United States. was launched from the yard of the New York Shipbulding company at Cam den. N. J., today in the presence of sev- eral thousand persons. who crowded the docks and every vantage point in the vicinity of the yard. As the big hull started to leave the thickly greased ways, Miss Mary Alice Spry of Salt Lake City, daughter of the governor of Utah, raised her arm and with A swift. hard swing broke a gaily beribboned bottle of cham pagne against the keel of the great ship and spoke the words that gave the vessel a name
 Launching of big warships on the Dela- ware river has become a common sight but nevertheless the latest contribution to the American navy stirred the en- tnusiasm of the crowd whose cheers and din created by the whistles of the river craft continued several minutes On the launching platform none was more en- thnsiastic than Miss Spry, who with 4 large bunch of American beauty roses in her arm received the congratulations of those about her.
 Ahohs those on the platform were rep resentatiYes of the navy department Governor Spry and members of his fam fly, congressional delega ton including the members from Utah, representatives Of the Utah legislature and many guests from New York, Philadelphia and Wash ington.
 The Utah is the fifth of all the big gun type of battlesliips for the United States navy to be launched. When com pieted she will be more powerful than the Delaware. and North Dakota of the Dreadnought class. and has been dubbed by member Of Congress the '.skeered o'nuthin !" class. The Utah has a length on the load water line Of 5lo feet or 52l1s feet over all, and a beam of ss feet inches. Her trial draft will he 2s15 feet. displacement H,S25 tons, or 2Oo0 tons greater than the Delaware and North Da- kota, and her speed Is expected 10 de- Neiop aos4 knots or more an hour. There will be 10 12-inch breechloading guns In her main armament mounted on five tur- rets on the central line of the ship Two or the turrets will be forward one amid ship and two aft Each turret will be protected by armor eight to 12 inches thick, and will be supplied with ammuni- ton by electric hoists from the magazines and shelirooms immediately below The entire handling Of the guns will be done by electric motors
 Ten turbines, six ahead and four astern capable of developing 600 horse power, will be installed Steam will be supplied by 12 water tube boilers and coal or oil may be used for fuel
 The Utah will be fitted for 7agsbip and her complement will consist of a crew of 1900 of whom 60 will be officers.
 Although the Utah will have no equal when completed, she will not hold that proud. position long. as. the naval pro gramme following the one which called for two ships of the fTtah class provides Tor vessels that will he considerably heavier These later ships will mount two more 12-inch guns than the Trtab ana will have heavier secondary battery.