The Ocala evening star., 1911-05-26
WELCOMED BY THE WAVES
American HattIeship Wyoming, Great
est sea Fighter Yet Built, Success
fully Launched

philadelphia, Pa, May 26.-Surpass-
ed by none and equaled only by her
own sister ship, which is not yet COM
pleted Americas latest and greatest
warship, the batt1eship Wyoming. was
launched yesterday at the yards of the
Cramp Ship & Engine Building Com
pany at Kensington. There was no un
toward incident to mar the ceremonies,
which were witnessed by a distinguish
ed gathering Of naval folk and official
representatives of the state of WyOm-
ing. of which commonwealth the pow
erful sea fighter was named.
For the first time in the many years
that the Cramps have been building
the big. fighting machines for the
United States navy the general public
was barred from attending the launch
ing. 40 one was permitted TO enter
the yards without a card of admission.
The enforcement of the new rule was
due, according to the explanation of
the company officials, to extraordinary
eond ditions arising from the great size
of the Wyoming. SO huge is the man.
moth hulk that it completely filled the
great shed built over the cradle and
rendered it impossible to build the
customary stands about the Prov for
the accommodation of the spectators.
Provision was made only for the chris
tening party and a few distinguished
guests.
/ The christening party, headed by
Miss Dorothy Eunice knight, daugh-
| ter of former chief justice of the
| Wyoming supreme court and sponsor
for the big battleship, took up their
/ positions near the nose of the big ship
| A few minutes later there was a rem
dering sound and snap, the weakened
under beams gave way and as the
Wyoming moved down the ways Miss
Knight hurled the bottle of sparkling
wine at the Prov and exclaimed in a
clear voice; Il christen thee Wyoming"
! The gigantic battleship slid down the
tallow creased ways with the lightness
of a frail lifeboat. AS she righted her
self far out in the stream and was
taken in charge by several tugs the
great crowd of spectators gave vent to
it's enthusiasm. To the cheers of the
onlookers was added the deafening g
noise of hundreds of whistles from the
factories and shops along shore and
the many river craft
The battleship Wyoming is declared
to have no equal aioat as first class
fighting machine. She is of $4,000 tons
displacement, or 1920 tons greater
than the British battleship Conqueror
launched a few weeks ago.
The displacement Of the Wyoming is
5000 tons greater than that of the
Delaware, which has been in commits
sion less than year, and nearly $4,000
tons greater than that Of the Oregon
which scarcely more than a decade age
was known as the Bulldog of the
Navy"
The armament of the Wyoming will
consist of twelve 12-inch and twenty.
two 5-inch guns and broadsideS Of
twelve 12-inch and eleven 5-inch guns
The twelve 12-inch guns will be mount
ed in six turrets on the center line O
the ship two forward two aft and tw,
midship. Each turret is to be protect
I'D by armor twelve inches and eigh
inches thick, and supplied with am
munition by electrical hoists from tn,
magazines and shell rooms below Th
entire handling OF the guns will b.
done by electric motors.
For defense against torpedo boat at
n tack there will be provided a batter.
of twentyone 5-inch rapid-f guns
protected by armor of medium thiek
ness. Close subdivision and stron:
3 huikheads win form additional protec
e tion against the damage likely to re
Il suit from mine or torpedo explosions.
e The principal dimensions of the bi
hattleships are as follows; Length O
load water line, 554 feet; length owe
ALL 562 feet; beam over armor, 99 fee
- 5-s inches; trial draft, IS feet, 8 in
ches; trial displacement, $4,000 tons
trial speed, 20h knots an hour
The main belt armor will be abou
eight feet wide and will have an aver
age thickness of ten inches. Above thi
is to be another belt of ten inches av
erage thickness, and still higher amid
ship is the easement armor protectin
the secondary battery and funnt
bases. At the sends of the main be
are transverse armor bulkheads Eae
barbette is Of armor varying from fou
Inches to eleven inches in thicknes
which protects the entire ammunition
handling machinery for the 12-inc
guns in the turret above. \ stron
protective deck extends all fore al
aft:
fhe Wyoming will be fitted for
fla gship and her complement as sue
II will consist OF elghty-five officers ar
lie 1880 men. 1t is expected she will
e. ready for commission by the end of II
y year.