Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-15
RUN SP,ED TRIALS NEXT WEEK
Delaware Begins Tests on October a..
While North Dakota Will not Start
Her Trials Until November 2-sh'p
Ready to Begin Firs, sea Voyage
Monday Morning.


pubiic yesterday. show that the mons
ter battleship Delaware. building mere
at last is leading her sistership, the
North Dakota. under construction at
Quincy. Mass. Considering the pres
.nt relative degree OF completion OF
the ships, there seems to be absolute
tv no room for doubt now that the
Delaware will be turned over TO the
navy department before the North
Dakota and the Newport News Ship
building & Dry Dock Company VIII be
victorious over the Fore River ship
q Engine Building Company In this
great shipbuilding race as II was with
the Brooklyn navy yard in the contest
In the construction OF the battleships
Louisiana and Connecticut.
From the time work was first start
ed on the Delaware and the North
Dakota up TO September ]. the Fore
River yard led the local plant IN the
race, but during the month OF Sep'em-
Der the Newport News yard forged
TO the front and ON October l, the
Delaware was I.6 per cent, nearer
completion than the North Dakota.
The relative standing was as follows:
Delaware. sss; North Dakota, s5.2.
Delaware en- Trial First.
The Delaware will have her Official
speed and endurance trials two weeks
before the North Dakota. The local
built ship will leave here Monday
morning for Rockland, Me. and is
scheduled to run her standardization
test on October q. The North
Dakota is to have her standardization
trials at Rockland On November 3 Al
though the Delaware will have no pre-
iirninary tests before her official trials
other than those that will be held dur
ing the run up the coast. the North
Dakota will leave Quincy on october
% and proceed to Provincetown.
where she will have runs over the
measured mile course there
Photographs of the North Dakota,
taken on October l. and printed In the
current issue OF the Marine Review.
show that some CT the turret armor
has not yet been installed on the ship.
A comparison OF this photograph with
The Delaware as she now appears
would Indicate that the Delaware has
an, even greater lead on the North
Dakota than the figures printed above
nigh. indicate.
Preparing for Trials.
Final preparations are being made
at the local yard for the departure
of the Delaware for RocklaRd next
Monday morning. The ships hull.
smokestacks turrets, superstructure
and masts have been painted the new
regulation war color" OF the navy and
the big fighter presents somber. but
wsrllke appearance. The immense
military towers have Just been com.
Utfttl anu tht otAAdAl todtr att oNhht
installed on the ship. Her bunkers
are filed with picked coal for tbs
trials and provisions and stores ara
being loaded.
When she steams from this port OF
ner first sea voyage. the big fighter viii
be manned by crew Of about coo pick
ed mechanics from the shipyard ant
General Manager Post. Superintendent
OF Hull Construction Homer l. Fer
gnson. Superintendent OF Machinery
James Rowbottom. Chief Eagineel
Bailey. Assistant Chief Engineer Psler
and other Of the yard officials viii b
on board. Captain William G. Melvin
Of this city. will command the ship