Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-16
NO CEREMONIES MARK
TRANSFER OF PROPERTY
General Manager Post Reports to Cap
tain Marshall, commandant, Upon
Arrival of New ship at Norfolk
Navy Yard land Takes the Of
ficer's Receipt-End Of Race.

Completed six months and seven
days ahead of contract time, the 20.
000-ton battleship Delaware was de-
liyered to the navy department at the
Norfolk navy yard at las o'clock
yesterday afternoon by her builders,
I the Newport News Shipbuilding *
I Dry Dock Company. Although this
was the first battleship of the Dread
naught type to be turned over to the
United States government no cere-
mony marked the event Upon the ar
rival Of the monster warship at the
navy yard, General Manager Walter
A. Post reported to Captain Mar
/ shall. u. s. ~, commandant of the
yard. who formally accepted the ship
on behalf of the department and gave
| Mr.. Post receipt for her.
Manned by small crew of shiryard
mechanics and commanded by Cap
tain William G. Melvin. of this city,
the Delaware pulled cut from the
shipyard at ii o'clock yesterday
morning and after turning her nose
down the harbor. the big craft began
the journey to the navy yard under
Le- own steam.
After the Delaware was safely
.mroltI at the navy yard the crew
was transferred from her Ia the ship
yard tug Dauntless. which had ac-
companied the Delaware. The tug
returned here with the workmen and
the yard officials late in the afternoon
Besides Mr.. Post, superintendent of
Hull Construction Homer l.. Ferguson
made the trip on the Delaware.
Alterations to be Made.
While she Is now 100 per cent COM
ple:eI. the Delaware will not go into
commission until April as a number
os alterations and improvements are
10 b. made to her at the navy yard.
Among other things some of the bulk
heads will be rearranged and arefriger-
a.ing plant will be installed in the
magazines. When this and other
work Is completed. the crew of So
men. which is being assembled aboard
the receiving ship Franklin at the
Norfolk yard. will be transferred to
the Delaware and she will be formally
placed in commission,
Soon after being placed on the
navy's active list, the Delaware will
60 to sea to have her final govern
ment acceptance speed and endurance
trials These trials will be run of
the Virginia Capes and shortly after
their completion. the Delaware will
Join the Atlantic feet.
I End Of Great Race.
The delivery of the Delaware to the
navy department marks the end OF
the greatest warship building race in
: the history of the world and estab-
fishes a new record fer the construc-
tion of battIeships on the Western
hemisphere.
When the contracts for the Della
ware and her sistership, the North
Dakota. were signed on August s.
1907. the Newport News Shipbuild ng
& Dry Deck Company and the Fore
Rive Shipbuilding Company entered
into a race for the delivery of the two
Dreadnaughts. The Fore River Com
pany took the lead at the start and
when that company launched the
North Dakota in November. 1908. the
victory was practically conceded to IL.
However. the officials OF the local
yard were by no means discouraged
and renewed efforts we're made to
complete the Delaware ahead CT her
sis:ership The Delaware was launch
ed On February 5. l90a-just twelve
months and ten days ago. After tho
vessel was overheard. this ward began
"a gain steadily on the Fore River
plant and so rapidly was the work
on the Delaware rushed that in Sep
teushcr the Newport News company
was in the lead OF its rival company.
~. a~ta al Ia u
fcber and the North Dakota went
out about two weeks later. The
North Dakota. which is equipped with
navy department next month. about
. thirty days later than the Delaware
) Delaware Superior Ship
Figures dcduced from the govern
7 ment records Of the trials OF the
two vessels Indicate that the rela-
ware Is a superior shin TO tho North
Dakota The Fore River built ship
j. given credit for slightly higher
b speed than the Delaware under forced
. draft but the officials OF the local
, yard say that " live steam was ad
mitfed 20 the low and intermediate
pressure cylinders % the Delaware
the ship would be able n develop =
epced slightly IN excess Of p knots
As against the q - knots 81 the
North Dakota which Is equipped with
. Curtis turbine engines.
The Delaware SURPRISES the North
Dakota In cruising ability A. the cosl
consumpflca 81 the local built vessel
T. lrss than that 81 the North Dakota
Stcamiug a. twelve knots spccd-ths
|, average suced maintained nv the A.
lansic hatflcship feet on It's cruise
around tho poTid-fhc Delaware car
lun a.zeo knots without rcpienishins
her bunker as against less then a.ooo
; knots for the North Dakota Running
"a . epccd ~ nineteen knots. the
poisSare can - 400 knots without
tskirg On q fresh supply Of fuel Al