Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-04-21
ARMY Of MEN 70
BUILD bATTbESHIPS
TWO NEW ONES TAKE THREE
THOUSAND MEN THREE
WEARS.

Washington, ID. c., April 20 49,
one Of the last acts Of the late
congress was to extend tho limit of
cost that had been imposed upon the
construction of the dreadnaught Flor
Ida. now nearing completion, and to
make a similar extension In the cost
Of a later and great dreadnaught.
For the construction OF this latter
vessel the congress had appropriated
SB,OOO.OOO. II had also stipulated
that the vessel was to be built I'm n
government navy yard The naval
constructors who were to have built
the vessel promptly reported that
owing to the restrictions of the eight
hour law it would be impossible to
build her within the limitation set
by congress.
The construction of this vessel
meant employment. or the lack OF II,
tc an army Of 5000 workmen. Rep
resentatives took up the fight, and
the cost of both vessels was extended
to S6,4O0. 900.
AlAihho AilbN WIN NilA w 80
sumed on the Florida and will be be-
gun on her greater sister. 1t means,
moreover. that 5000 workmen. many
Of them highly skilled, will have
steady employment for period Of
three years, 1t also means that the
navy yard built Florida will cost the
government 100000 more than her
sister, the Utah, built in a private
yard, and that the newer dreadnaught
which is to be christened the New
York, will cost 100000 moro than
her sister, the Texas, whose keel
was recently laid.
In order that the new dread
naughts, which are now merely
known as battleships "a and 80,
might be named after states It was
found eYpedient to rename two OF
the old veterans Of the Spanish Amer
lean war. The armored cruiser New
York, which was Rear Admiral Samp-
sons flagship, during the campaign
has been renamed the Saratoga The
cid battleship Texas, soon to be made
a target for the guns Of the battle
ship New Hampshire, has been given
the name of san Marcos
The greater New York ana tho
newer Texas will mark a.notable ad-
vanceoln naval construction. In nu-
merica' order they are the ninth and
tenth Of our dreadnaught type. The
dreadnaught type Is one Of the recent
date, Through her alliance with Jap
an, Great Britain was the first to
learn the lesson Of the all-big gun
ship, and Immediately set about sol
idfylng 1t in steel
It Is announced that the New York
and her big sister are to carry the
rifles and twenty-three Of the 5-lnch
calber. The vessels are 10 be en-
dowed with a speed Of twenty-one
knots an hour, n pace which only a
few years ago was considered a fast
one for armored cruisers, the mis-
named cavalry Of the sea-" This
high speed, the great armor protec-
ton which the vessel will carry and
their enormous battery power, make
them the most formidable fighting
machines yet evolved.
The flower Of our entire navy was
in the line that halted Ceveras sortle
from Santiago. But one vessel Of
this newer type would have out
classed the force that drove the
Spanlards from their guns and sent
their ships glazing TO the beach.
Even the secondary battery on one
Of these dreadnaughts could de-
stroy a fleet such as was Montojos
as thoroughly as did the guns Of
Dewey's squadron.
The guns Of the secondary battery
are intended for repelling torpedo
boat attack. These guns have a range
Of i've miles and an extreme rapidity
OF fire, each being capable Of firing
fifteen shells minute. With twelve
available for a broadsldo that would
mean a rain Of $50 shells a minute