The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-05-01
Launching of the
Florida on MAY II

The following interesting data rela-
tive to the launching of the monster
battleship Florida at the Brooklyn, N.
Y, navy yard on Thursday, May 18th,
is taken from a profusely illustrated
story of the event which appeared in
the magazine section of last Sundays
New York Times:
The new battleship Florida, which is
being built by the government at the
Brooklyn navy yard at cost. of $6,-
100000, will be the heaviest warship
that has ever been launched in the
United States. BY May 18th, the date
set for the ceremony, the Florida will
be So per cent completed, and will
weigh 5000 tons, which is 1000 tons
heavier than her sister ship, the Utah.
when she was launched on Dec. %,
1909, at Camden, N. j.
Preparations are being made at the
yard for the accommodation of the
guests, among whom will be President
Won l. Meyer, Assistant Secretary
christ, governor of Florida, with his
star; Admiral George Dewey, Rear
Admirals Evans, Sperry, Schroeder,
Wainwright, Potter, and Leutze, the
last named being commandant of the
navy yard.
The battleship feet viii arrive at
the navy yard on May /. and the
bands from the ships with 5000 blue
jackets and marines with all the senior
officers will take part In the cere-
monies. A large stand to accommo-
date 500 guests Of the government
near the bow Of the Florida Is being
erected, and a small stand higher up
Tor the president, the sponsor, Miss
Elizabeth Fleming, Of Jacksonville,
Fla, and twenty OF the more distin-
guished guests.
The actual time OF the launching of
the Florida will be between 10:45 and
IL o'clock. The chocks which hold
the huge battleship on the stocks will
be carefully removed during the
Baxter gives the word Of command,
saw off," the shipwrights will ply
their tools for a brief moment and
the warship, 1t is hoped, will glide
gracefully down the thiclxly creased
ways into the water, as Miss Fleming
breaks a bottle Of champagne over the
nose Of the ram exclaiming, II name
thee Florida"
The navy yard and all the ships will
be decorated with bunting for the
suspicious occasion, and II is expected
that fully $4,000 spectators will be
present. The guests from Florida in
vited to the launching, including the
governor and his staff, will travel by
special train from Jacksonville and ar
rive in New York on the eve before
the ceremony. Gov. Hughes with his
staff, and the United States senators
and representatives from New York
have also been invited to be present.
An important Event.
The launching Of big battleship is
an important event in itself, but this
ceremony will be more notable be-
cause the navy department will have
demonstrated that it is fully equipped
and competent enough to construct
battleships, no matter what the size
may be, in its shipyards without as
sistance from private concerns.
With the exception of the Utah the
Florida will be the largest battleship
afioat In the world and when she is
completed at the end of July, 1911,
until the advent of the Arkansas and
Wyoming.
The dimensions of the Florida are
510 feet on the load water line, or 521
feet 6 inches over all; SO feet 6 inches
beam, with % feet inches draught.
Her displacement will be 21,S25 tons,
with $4,000 indicated horse power,
which Is expected to drive the Florida
through the water at an average
speed Of 20 "a knots. She will have