The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-11
READY TOLAYKEEL
OF GREAT WAR SHIP
The New York, Building. at the
New York Navy Yard, to
Be Distinctive in Type.
POWERFUL MAIN BATTERIES
TO Carry Ten l4-Inch Guns
Mounted in Five
Turrcts.

New York. September 10.-The keel
OF the Dreadnought New York, which in
size will be surpassed only by the two
new Argentine battlcshps. one OF
which. the Rivadavia, was launched at
Fore River last week, but which, so far
as offensive and defensive nghtinS
strength is concerned, will be one Of
the two most powerful ever built for
the American or any other navy, viii
be laid at the New York Navy Yard,
In Brooklyn. tomorrow. The New
York. with her sister ship, the Texas.
which is being built at Newpor; News.
Va, VIII have the distinction Of being
the first two vessels ever built whose
main batteries Will consist of fourteen
inch guns. each ship carrying ten of
those guns, mounted in live turrets.
The turrets Will be 70 arranged that
every ono OF the fourteen Inch guns
can be fired at the same time from
either broadside.
The laying Of the keel OF the New
York will be q simple ceremony and
wiz not be made the occasion Of any
demonstration. Within one year tho
naval constructors who are to have
charge Of the construction of the new
Dreadnought expect 10 have her ready
for launching. and that event will be
one of the biggest naval affairs held In
this city since the triumphant return
of Dcwey's flagship Olympia from Ma
Mia. Governor Dix will undoubtedly
have the privilege of naming the young
woman who will smash the bottle Of
wine against the bow of the Dread
nought as she slips down the ways into
the water.
Tho official sketch OF the New York
shows a splendid battieship OF low
freeboard. with three fourteen Inch
turrets AFT and two forward Two
masta OF the wires Green type will be
installed. and there will be two fun
nels between them.
The arrangement Of the New York'sI
great turrets has been approved by
some Of the best battleship designers
and constructors in Europe and IL was
said at the navy yard the other day
that Great Britain is expected to follow
the plan of arrangement in the new
preadnouShts she is about TO lay down
While the Argentine Dreadnoughts OF
the Rivadavia type will be larger in
tonnage displacement than will the New
York. the difference in size is SO small
as TO make them practically OF equal
strength The New York will have a
normal displacement Of 27.000 tons
which Is Just 500 tons less than tho
displacement of the R.vadavia
In addition 10 her main battery of
fonrteen-inch guns. the New York will
also carry twenty one hve-inch guns,
four three Founders. two two Founders.
two machine and two three-inch field
guns. She will also be fitted with four
twenty-one-inch submerged torpedo
tubes She Will be quadrunie screw
vessel fitted with the latest type of
Parsons turbines. the same type OF tur-
bines used in the Lusitania and aIaure-
thnia, and her contracts call for q speed
OF twenty-one knots an hour She is
expected 10 be well on the way to com
pletion by January of 1919.
While the New York and Texas ar.
now the largest and most powerful
vessels now building for the United
states Navy. II is probable that months
before either OF those ships are
launched two o;ber Drcadnouehts or
greater tonnage and more powerful bat
terry power will have been begun hv
the navy. These two battIeshtps will
carry. 1t is understood. twelve instead
of ten fourteen-inch guns, mounted in
nVe turrets, three to at least two OF
them and two each in the othcr remnir
Ing turrets. The tonnage OF these
Ships Will be greater than that OF any
other battleship now building or an.
thorized by any navy.
Almost ready for service are tha A.
kansas and Wyoming. Dreednoueht. ~
Eo'iOo tons displacement. mounting
twelve twelve-inch guns in six turrets
The Wyoming is expected to be the flag
snip OF Rear-Admiral Osterhaus. com.
ma nder-in- chief of the Atlantic fleet.
In that event the Wyoming will take
the place of the battleship Connecticut
Tor several years past and during the
voyage around the world the harship
OF the fleet With the commissioning
OF the Wyoming and Arkansas It is be.
lieved that an entirely new first divis.
Ion OF the fleet Will be organized 70 con-
sist or those two ships and the other
new Dreadnoughts. the Florida and
oteh. The Utah was commissions 81