The Washington herald., 1911-12-03


NAVY ar Washington there stands a mod
ell of our newest battle ship, the Florida
It is exactly like the huge original IN
every outward respect. but reduced 10 q
scale Of a quarter Of an inch to the looI
Every detail is reproduced even 10
the smallest block Of running tackle. The
wireless system on board is complete
in miniature, and the electric Ardois
signals seem actually ready to flash.
Five-inch guns (reduced to scale) pro-
iect their muzzIes from more than
score of ports, and five massive tur-
rets AFFORD accommodations for ten OF
the mighty 14-inch rifies-which, in the
original, are SO feet long, weigh 6 tons
apiece, and can throw 1,4OO-pound pro-
jectfle more than twenty miles.
This model, which took five men a year
to build, and cost $500, was made in
a shop at the Washington Navy Yard.
From that home port has gone forth.
during the last twenty years, fleet OF
more than forty little war ships, repre-
senting nearly every type OF hghting yes
sci constructed by our government. This
fleet has done a great deal or travelling
over land, the miniature craft being
shown at several expositions. ana mas
also made cruises of considerable length.
Some of the models were exhibited at
the great Paris Exposition, and two were
sent as far as Japan, where they so I'M
pressed the Mikado that he promptly
ordered a couple Of battle ships, the Chi
tose and Kasag, from builders in this
country.
In the aggregate, the government has
spent mot far from a quarter of million
dollars in the building Of these toy ships.
But they are well worth the money, the
primary object of their construction be-
ing, as one might say, educational. Every
now and then one or two of them are
sent up to the Capitol and placed tenn
porarily in the rooms Of the Naval COM
mittees Of the House or Senate, in order
that the lawmakers may gain some
definite notions about the vessels Tor
which they are asked to approprlate
money.
When the little ships are shown at ex-
positions. the public at large is interested
to discover what modern fighting vessels
are really like. In Washington quite a
number of them are always on exhibition
at the National Museum and in the Navy
Department, and visitors at the Capita
find few things that so strongly engage
their attention. They constantly ask tc
see the models Of the war ships named
after their own States; and man oil
woman will now and then be heard &c
|
! pointing perhaps. to the cruiser Tacoma
! or to some other that is named after
! city.
| Our navy is wholly a creation OF the
last twenty-five years, and thus the eye
| passing the models in review, gains TN
most vivid sort OF idea Of the develop
ment Of American sea power In'
ships Cbelng all made on the same scalt
| Of a quarter of an inch TO the foot
! n shown
| the models, become more formidablN
| aimed, until at length the series cul
| inmates with the newest type-the Flor
! ida, with its aIl-big-gun armament anC
other striking peculiarities that mari
= the up-to-date "super-Dreadnought. anC
1.-THE armored cruiser Pennsylvania, whict
| is substantially a battle ship. but WIZ
! great speed to render her more enectve
: as a fighting machine.
| point incidentally noticeable, IN re-
viewing the toy fleet, is that, whereas
nearly all the older types are painted
white. with yellowish spar color" foI
! the superstructure and masts, the newest
ones are battle gray" or slate hued
| The model of the Florida. In the Secre'
! tary's office Is slate colored from the
tons of the fire control masts to the
waterline-this being the requirement OF
| the existing naval regulations. Thes'
! prescribe that there shall not even be
! any polished metal on board-nothing
\ in fact, that can reflect the rays OF a
searchlight at night, and thus render
the ship more visible to an enemy. Tit
war craft must be as nearly as pos
sibIe the color Of the ocean.
| One model is made to represent eacf
class or type of vessel in our naval serv
ice. Thus, for example, the Florida
stands also for the battleship Utah-tht
two being twins and absolutely alike IL
all respects. The model of the Pennsyl
vanla represents a class Of six armoreC
cruisers-the others being the Colorado
the California, the South Dakota, TIT
West virginia, and the Maryland. Again
the Chester is one of three so-calleC
scout cruisers" all alike. There ar,
models to represent different types OF tor
pedo-boats and destroyers-everything il
| fact, except the submarines, the designs
for which are kept carefully secret.
One Of the objects for which the model
| are built is to show officers of the nav!
what new ships are going to be Hke-For
as will presently be explained, the to!
vessels are actually constructed befor
the big war craft which they represent
| This gives opportunity for criticism, ant
| a study of the miniature likeness of a bat
tie ship or cruiser that has already beeI
| planned may suggest important modifica
tons while II is not too late to carr!
them out. This. indeed, has happene'
| often.
| 1t Is common practice to keep one Of
more of the models at each naval recruit
ing station in Chicago, at Buffalo, oil
| elsewhere, in order that young men VIII
think of enlisting in the service, or wh'
have enlisted, may have a chance to SEE
what a war ship is like. Thus it will bt
i perceived that, from all points Of view
4 the models serve an educational pur'
pose Wherever they are publicly ex
hiblted, they tend to augment popular in
terest in the navy-a matter deemed o.
such practical Importance that, with nj
other object in view, the government, a
will b remembered, built a full-sizeC
battle ship of brick at the Chicago
Worlds Fair. Being Of such material. I
could not float. but in all other respect
II was exactly like real battle ship, ant
il proved one Of the most successful fea
lures Of the great exposition.
As soon as the plans for new type o
fighting ship have been made, a cnmplet
set of working drawings IS sent from tn
n Navy Department to the washington
y Navy Yard, where all Of them are re
duced to a uniform scale Of a quarter o
an inch to the foot, as preliminary {
building a model of the proposed vessel
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