The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-05-13
First Vessel of Importance to
Be Constructed in a
Navy Yard.
WHEN COMPLETED THERE is
NOT A VESSEL AFLOAT THAT
COULD TACKLE HER ON EVEN
TERMs-Is OF 23,o33 TONS,
NEARLY THE LENGTH OF A
CITY BLOCK AND WILL RE.
oulRE MORE THAN ONE THOU.
SAND MEN TO MANAGE THE
GREAT FIGHTING MACHINE.
BY Associated Press.

New York, May 12.-Flying the
white starred ensign of the United
States navy at her stem, the stars
and stripes at her stern and a string
of gay signal pennants along the $40
feet of her deck line, the battleship
Florida, the biggest of the Amerl-
can dreadnoughts built thus far, was
successfully launched at the Brook
lyn navy yard today in the presence
of the vice-president of the United
States, the secretary of the navy and
the naval attaches of all the powers
ind crowd of fifty thousand en-
thusiasts, whom lowering skies and
Intermittent rains had failed to keep
away. AS the leviathian got under
way, there was an ominous creaking,
the sliding and permanent ways
slowly drew. apart and Miss Eliza
beth Fleming, daughter of former
governor of Florida, sent the christ
ening champagne bottle crashing
against the ships side.
The Florida hesitated a moment,
then slowly and ponderously glided
down the ways with the voice of Miss
Fleming clearly calling: 60. brave
ship; | christen thee Florida
The launching was the most sue
cessful ever held at the New York
navy yard. The gigantic battleship
slid down the ways with the light
ness of life-boat. AS soon as she
reached the water the current yeered
her lightly to the north and she end
ed her course in the centre of the
river, where dozen navy tugs at
once hemmed her on all sides, grad
ually forcing her to her moorings
near Cob dock
THE BIGGEST SHIP.
The biggest battleship in the Amer
lean navy slid off the ways at the
navy yard, when the battleship Flor
Ida dropped into the water. Later or
when the Arkansas and the Wyoming
now under construction, are atioat
they will exceed the Florida in size by
three thousand tons, a difference suf
hcient to make IA pretty good littlc
liner in itself. The Florida herself is
by no means finished, for as she went
off the ways today she was only abou
sixty per cent advanced towards com
pletion, which means that she was mo-
much more than a vast empty hui
and still awaits all of the Thousand
boilers and main and secondary en-
gines and armor and equipment tha
go to make up the ship ready for com
mission.
Probably there is not battleshiT
afloat that could tackle the Florida or
even terms, when her commander
flag flies from the ungraceful. but for
midable, skeleton masts which will bt
placed upon her, that is, provided tht
plans as to the utility of this move
feature of marine architecture within
the next eighteen months, by which
time the Florida should be in commits
sion.
BUILT IN NAVY YARD.
The ship is the first of any real i'm
portance to be constructed in a gov
ernment navy yard for a number O
years and naturally her performanc,
will be watched with keen interest b,
the private shipbuilders, who are nov
building her sister ship, the Utah. il
Camden, n. J. AS a matter of fact
the North Dakota, built by the Fore
River Shipbuilding Company, and tn,
Delaware, constructed at Newpor
News, with the Florida and Utah will
make what is described as a unit il
naval parlance, meaning that thes,
vessels are practically of the sam,
type and may be expected to operat,
together in naval warfare. The Nortl
Dakota and the Delaware are nearl,
two thousand tons smaller than th
other two vessels, though the arma
(Continued on Paoe TThreeN