Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-08-31

shield, Congressman James NJ Curlcy Of
Ma ssachusetts. J. r.. Gordon Of New
York, and members OF the Massachusetts
Legislature After the launching the
guests gathered in the new boiler house,
recently constructed, for luncheon and
speechmaking.
The Rivadavia, when she Ia completed
will have n total displacement OF 1850
tons, will I've $50 feet long, IS feet breadth
and a normal draught OF 275 feet. Ex-
formally she will resemble vessels of the
class of which the British cruiser dread
nought Lion and the United States bat
tlcshp Arkansas are types. The wire
screen type OF masts used in the United
States navy will be used on the Riva-
dava, and her twelve guns will be
| mounted so as to make It possible to use
them in a single broadside, either port or
starboard Unlike the Arkansas the Riva-
davia will have two Of her six Finch
turrct. ar1dships between the tunnels,
In the American battlcshp two OF the
| turrets are forward and four aft OF the
| tunnels
The batteries OF the Rivadavia will con-
| sist Of the twelve Pinch guns which
constitute the main battery; twelve g.
| inch, six Of which can be fired broadside
| at the same time the main battery is
| fired; twelve 4-inch guns, besides several
! guns OF smaller calibre. and two 2l-inch
submerged torpedo tubes. The Pinch
| guns are protected by 12-inCh-thick arinor
in front, 11-inch armor in the back, and
3-inch armor on top Of the turrets. When
completed the ship will have cost Arscn-
| tina about s11.N0,0oo.
The vessels main armor belt Is 70 inches
| thick. 200 feet long, and extends feet
| . Inches above and feet 4 inches below
| the normal water line to protect the
machinery. Three Curtis turbines Of 80
500 horse power will furnish the motive
| power, which is expected to drive the
| battleship at speed of 22ik knots. Her
| coal capacity Is 400 tons. or 1,60o tons
more than the American hattleships can
load. The complement Of the ship has not
| been determined. American ships OF the
| type nearest to the Rivadavia carry IS Of
fcers and 1000 men.
An idea Of the tremendous offensive
and defensive power of tho Rivadavia
is best had by comparing her with the
latest dreadnoushts OF the principal
| powers.
The United states has four battle
ships Of the dreadnought type that are
nearly as big as the Rivadavia and
two OF which will be more powerful
SO far as their main batteries are con-
cerned than the Rivadavia will he. The
Arkansas and Wyoming are $50 tons
| smaller in size. but cary identical main
batteries, while the New York and
Texas the building Of which ships Is
now under way are 500 tons smaller
than the Argentine dreadnought The
New York and Texas Will mount ten
14-inch guns, however, making their
main batteries the greatest ever placed
on board a battleship in this or any
othcr navy.
Great Britaln's nearest approach in
battleshps are those of the King George
" type which will dspace when COM
p,eted %, 900 tons. and which will mount
ten l35-inch guns, next to the 14-inch
guns that are to be mounted on the Uni
ted States ships New York and Texas,
the most powerful naval guns in the
world Great britain. however. has build
ing cruiser, the Queen Mary, that will
be bigger in displacement by 1880 tons
than the Rivadavia.
Germany's type OF droadnought battle
|
davia are tho seven Of the Kaiser class
now in process of construction These
ships will displace 5000 tons and will
mount ten 12o inch guns in their main
batteries.
Japan is understood to have in con-
temptation the construction Of 4
prcadnought of the same tonnage as
the Rivadavia. Her Dreadn oughts
now building, two of the Kawachi
class, are 1000 tons smaller than the
Rivadavia OF 12-inch guns equal In
number to those on the Argentine
ship. France has -FOUR DreainouEhts
of the Courbet type projected, Whith
when completed VIII displace .3.is'
tons, and carry main batteries II twelve
12-inch guns Italy's biggest type Is
represented by the Gone di Covcur "l
22,7oO tons, launched two weeks ago
Austria Is building two of 10000 tons
and Russia four If the PoltaVa type
which viii also mount dozen l2-inct
guns. and when completed Will dis
place $4,000 tons.