New-York tribune., 1909-03-10
BEGINNING ANOTHER DRE4DyOUGHT,

BEGINNING ANOTHER DREADNOJGHT.
In its decision 10 construct at one Of its own
wards one of the two battleshps authorized by
Congress last year the Navy Department was
doubtless governed largely by the success or
its latest experiment of that sort. The Flor
ida. of which the keel was laid yesterday, IS
to he built AT the place which enjoys the honor
of producing the finest specimen of naval
architecture under the American flag to-day.
Moreover. the same man who directed the
work on the Connecticut will have immediate
charge OF the new task Hence a continuance
of the policy of building al a government yard
NAV depend 10 a great extent on the energy
and success with which Mr.. Baxter now ac-
quits himself.
The Florida and her sister ship. the Utah.
will be much heavier than the vessels of the
Connecticut class The difference in dlspace-
ment will be about 6.OOO tons. 1t does not
follow however. that the undertaking Just mi
riated at Brooklyn will be correspondngly DIFF
ficult. OF course. hrmer foundations viii be
required for the cradle in which the Florida
will rest until she takes the water than were
needed before Other changes of procedure
may also be found TO be necessary. though
they will probably not be OF vast importance.
On the other hand. II Is not unlikely that Ger
tain features of the new battleshps design
NAV facilitate progress in construction For
driving off torpedo boats and for similar service
the Connecticut Is provided with fifty guns.
On the Florida the same service VIII be per
formed by twenty-five. An even more radical
difference however. exists between the primary
battery Of the flagship Of the Atlantic fleet and
that which the Florida will carry. The former
embraces guns Of three sizes. numbering TWEEN
ty-four altogether The latter will contain ten
al OF the same size.
Though the onecalibre principle the chief
characteristic of the Dreadnought's armament
was adopted because il apparently promises
greater efficiency in fighting it has other ad-
vantages. II smplifes the working of the
guns and dlminshes the number Of ammuni-
ton hoists required to serve them. Possibly
the installation Of only ten guns. uniform in
size may call for less labor than the installa-
ton Of twenty-fOur.
From the North Dakota and the Delaware both
of which were launched a few weeks ago the
Florida and the Utah will differ much less than
the last mentioned pair will from the Connect
cut. The Florida will displace nearly 1000
tons more than the North Dakota will be ten
feet longer and viii carry sixteen. instead Of
only fourteen, Jinch guns in her secondary
battery. Very likely minor improvements in de
sign or equipment. suggested by experience since
the North DakOta's plans were drawn will
characterize the Florida and the Utah Other
wise these two later vessels will closely re
semble their immediate predecessors All four
will he propelled by turbines and should de-
velop a speed Of twenty-one knots The urj-
mary batteries, too, will include the same nun-
ber of guns (tenl as do Fngiand's Drpad-
noughts. In speed and fighting qualities
therefore they should he good match for the
best ships of the worlds leading naval power