The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-09

This photograph shows how tn
hand corner is the sponsor of the yes
p. Fleming, of Florida, while Secrt
New York, May 9.-In the presence
OF Secretary OF the Navy Meyer, Gov
ernor Hughes and a distinguished
gathering of army and navy officials.
Miss Elizabeth l.. Fleming, daughter
of the late Ex-Governor Francis P.
Fleming of Florida, will break bottle
OF champagne against the bow of the
new battleship Florida, on Thursday
next, and the fourth Dreadnought of
the United States navy will glide
gracefully down the ways into the East
river.
The launching will take place at the
New York navy yard where the vessel
has been in course OF construction
since March 0, 1909, and owing to the
size of the vessel and the presence of
SO many distinguished guests 1t will
be the most suspicious affair of this
kind that has been held in recent
years. After the exercises President
Taft will be the guest of honor at the
dinner given to the mechanics and
laborers employed in the shipyard.
| Another important fact in the launch
ing OF the Florida is that the vessel is
being built in the government shipyard
and her total cost will not exceed &c.
OOO.O 900, which is about $3OOO,OOO less
than the price that would have been
paid to private company.
On the day of the launching of the
vessel, she will be 81 per cent COM
pleted and the government hopes to
have her ready by July "a of this year
the same day that her sister ship, the
Utah, which was recently launched at
Newport News, is under contract to be
completed.
/ The Florida is fitted out for flag
ship and will complete the first divis-
ion Of Dreadnoughts in the United
States navy, which include the Della
ware. North Dakota, and the Utah.
The first two of this division, the Della
ware and North Dakota, were the first
of the Dreadnought type to be built for
this country and have a displacement
of 10000 tons The Florida, however,
like the Utah will have displace-
ment of q ,S25 tons, and will carry
practically the same armament as the
i Utah. consisting OF ten twelve inch
guns in the main battery and sixteen
5 inch rapid fire guns, four 3 FOUNDER
saluting guns. two 3 inch field pieces
and two machine guns. The vessel will
also have two submerged torpedo
tubes.
The length of the new ship Is $40
feet: her breadth IS feet, rs inches;
draft IS feet 8 inches: coal carrying
capacity $500 tons; oil fuel carrying
capacity 1873 tons; and the speed is
not to be less than 2OA knots.
Two steel wire towers, like those
that have been installed on nearly all
the battleships will be place on the
new vessel She will have fire tur-
rets, each containing two of the mon
ster twelve inch guns. and they will
be SO arranged that all ten guns can
be fired as broadside. Her armor
belt follows the line of the eleven inch
armor OF the latest vessel OF the navy,
that is, thick armor belt protecting
her magazine and vita1s with reduced
thickness covering other parts OF the
ship. The armor is SO placed that the
ship can not be vitality damaged by
any but the heaviest type of guns when
lighting.
The Florida and Utah are now the
largest vessels in the United States
navy. and with the two monster ships
l - ~ T.,